story courtesy of the Tyler Morning Telegraph
TYLER - The number of Powerball players expanded by millions Wednesday night when Texas ticket buyers were able to participate in the high-dollar, multistate lottery game for the first time in its history.
Powerball participants from 41 states and Washington, D.C., collectively held their breath as six numbered balls were drawn, the right combination earning the winner -- or winners -- a $115 million jackpot.
Millions played, but some signs indicate that few Tylerites took part in the high-paying game, as convenience store employees across the city reported low Powerball interest.
Brent Pope, an assistant manager of the Food Fast store at Old Jacksonville Highway and Rice Road, said he and other store staff members were shocked at the paltry Powerball ticket sales.
"When I heard we were getting Powerball, I figured we'd have people lined up," he said. "But most of our customers are just sticking to their normal lottery tickets."
For the regulars at Pope's convenience store, the normal lottery ticket means Mega Millions -- another multistate, major payout ticket with low odds of winning that functions almost identically to Powerball.
And while Mega Millions' odds of winning the jackpot -- about one in 175 million -- are slightly better than Powerball -- about one in 195 million -- Pope says familiarity may be the simple explanation for lagging Powerball sales.
"Our regulars who come in and will spend $25 or $30 may not come in to buy Powerball tickets until they know how it works," he said.
In central Tyler, slow Powerball sales were the story at the Race Runner convenience store on Broadway Avenue and Sixth Street. Store employees said only two people purchased Powerball tickets on Tuesday, and only a handful came in on Wednesday to do so.
Two miles north on Broadway at the Midway Food Mart at Houston Street, assistant manager Nizar Punjani said rainy weather on Wednesday slowed all business at the convenience store, not just lottery ticket sales.
Punjani also said most people who came into his store to buy a lotto ticket weren't even aware Powerball was a gaming option.
That was the case for Tyler resident Stephanie Miller, who stopped by Midway Food Mart just before 5 p.m. to grab a soft drink with her son, Diondre.
Her son suggested she buy a lottery ticket, and when Punjani mentioned Powerball, Mrs. Miller said she'd never even heard about it. Then when she heard about the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot, Mrs. Miller simply smiled and shrugged.
"I'll probably get struck by lightning before I win," she said, "but hey, why not? It's just a shot in the dark."
