Mississippi's lottery is about to launch its largest jackpot options yet. MPB's Kobee Vance reports on how the state is gearing up for multi-state Jackpots.
On Thursday, lottery locations across Mississippi will begin to sell the Mega Millions and Powerball tickets. They are expected to quickly be the largest drawing ticket of the Mississippi lottery. Tom Shaheen is the President of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation. He says the lottery has averaged nearly 10 million dollars a week since it's launch in November
"But now with the introduction of Powerball and Mega Millions, we anticipate some of that money will move from scratch-off tickets to Mega Millions and the Powerball. And the goal is to collectively have more money altogether."
James Howard sells lottery tickets at Humidor Cigars, Tobacco & Brew in Ridgeland. He has sold thousands of tickets so far, but he expects the multi-state tickets will bring in even more business.
"It's gonna be colossal. I think it's probably the best thing the state's done in a hot minute. I think it'll be great for people that are coming in from out of town. They can come in and buy the same thing that they would get from Alabama, Louisiana, literally anywhere."
Last week, the Lottery Corporation made it's first transfer to the state treasury of more than 7 and a half million dollars to fund maintenance of the state's roads and bridges.
