Billion-Dollar Dream: North Alabama Crowds Flock to Georgia for Powerball Tickets
Haney, Ga. – With the Powerball jackpot climbing to an astonishing $1.4 billion, North Alabama residents are making the drive across the state line to try their luck. WEIS Radio visited the Cave Springs area Tuesday and found a steady stream of hopefuls going in and out of convenience stores, most of them leaving with tickets in hand.
Many of the players were Georgia residents, but the vast majority had crossed over from Alabama. People from Centre, Gadsden, Spring Garden, Piedmont, Fyffe, Geraldine, Susan Moore, and Ellisville all made the trip. Some said the massive jackpot was too tempting to resist, while others described themselves as regulars who buy tickets no matter the size of the prize.
A few admitted they rarely play, but with the jackpot so high, they couldn’t pass up the chance. One truck driver from Atlanta, who happened to be fueling up in the area, said he had never played before but decided that with so much money on the line, “he would pick up a ticket when he was in the store.”
For Ray Quick of Gadsden, buying tickets is a routine. He and a buddy make the drive every two weeks regardless of the jackpot size, but when the numbers soar this high, they make an extra trip. Quick, who has been playing for 25 years, explained their pact: if one of them wins, they’ll take care of the other. As for his own plans, he simply said, “I guess I would take care of everybody.”
That sentiment was echoed by many others. While a group from Piedmont tossed around ideas ranging from beachfront property to year-long vacations and even opening a restaurant, most people focused on family and friends. A couple said the first thing they’d do is buy a new truck.
Eric Nelson of Susan Moore had one of the more memorable answers. He said his first purchases would be “new tires and new teeth.” Nelson reflected on how his priorities had shifted over the years, saying that 30 years ago, his dream list would have included “a new Lamborghini, Corvette, and a place in Jamaica or the Bahamas.” Now, he said, he’d prefer some land on the river, a secondhand pontoon boat, and the ability to help others. He recalled a time when a young man at a gas station asked him for help jump-starting his car. “If I won this, I could take him down the road and buy him a new car,” Nelson said.
At the Chevron Food Mart near Cave Springs, clerk Sunny said the store had been extremely busy. “When the pot reaches the billion mark, we notice a significant increase in people coming in,” he explained. While many customers come from Alabama, he estimated the balance with Georgia residents is about even. He added that big jackpots are good for local business, as customers also stock up on drinks and snacks. Stores can also see a windfall if they sell a winning ticket. “Everybody was trying their luck,” Sunny said, adding that he hoped his store could be the one to hand out good fortune.
At Rozy Food Mart, a Marathon station sitting directly on the state line, clerks said they had already sold over $200,000 in tickets. They noted that this week was among the busiest they had seen, rivaled only by one other billion-dollar jackpot in the past two years.
One recurring theme among Alabama players was frustration that their state still doesn’t have a lottery. Many said it would be nice not to drive across the border and that the state could benefit from the revenue. For now, Georgia stores are happy to welcome them and their billion-dollar dreams.
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