$640m up for grabs in mega lottery jackpot

A world-record $640m (€480m) Mega Millions jackpot has had US lottery players lining up for tickets with dreams of becoming an overnight multimillionaire.

The jackpot odds are one in 176 million.

The previous record jackpot was $390m in 2007.

“You are about 50 times as likely to get struck by lightning as to win the lottery, based on the 90 people a year getting struck by lightning,” said Mike Catalano, chairman of the mathematics department at Dakota Wesleyan University.

But players were converging on stores in 42 states and Washington, DC, where Mega Millions tickets are sold.

For David Kramer of Nebraska, buying his Mega Millions ticket was not about “the realistic opportunity to win.”

“It’s the fact that for three days, the daydreaming time about what I would do if I won is great entertainment and, frankly, a very nice release from a normal day,” he said.

Lottery officials were happy to have the record jackpot fuelling ticket sales, but even they cautioned against spending large amounts per person.

“When people ask me, I just tell them that the odds of a lottery game make it a game of fate,” said Chuck Strutt, executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association that oversees the Mega Millions, Powerball and other lotteries.

“Just buy a ticket, sit back and see if fate points a finger at you for that day.”

The draw is set for late tonight in Atlanta.