Valley Lotto Hopefuls Gave It Their Best

A 1-in-176,000,000 chance didn’t stop valley hopefuls from buying Mega Millions tickets on Friday.

“It only takes one, one to be a winner,” lotto hopeful Sherry Manney said.

Crowds flocked all day to stores selling tickets, and as 7:45 p.m drew closer, lines grew.

“I’m going to buy two right now, but I already have it at two other locations,” Manney said.

Lotto experts played.

“I won $700 here a couple years ago,” Tom Mennig said.

Lotto beginners played, too.

“It’s a ridiculous amount of money. You’d be ridiculous not to play,” Staci Morrison added.

Valley residents vied for a chance at lotto luxury.

“I’d have a house in the mountains and one on the beach and keep one in the desert,” Mennig said.

“I’m going to buy peace of mind – a home, make sure everything is paid off, and probably donate to charity,” Morrison said.

A lot of first-timers said they kept hearing about the lotto from friends, and couldn’t pass. Mennig said he didn’t understand the hype.

“You don’t buy a lottery ticket at $50 million but you buy one at $500 million. What could you not get with 50 million?” Mennig said.

Be that as it may, the valley showed up, not wanting to be left out.

A Mega Millions lottery ticket matching all but the Mega number was sold at Clinton Keith Chevron in Wildomar and is worth $227,955 today.

The following additional winning tickets were sold in California:

— 156 tickets with four numbers and the Mega number, each worth $11,557;

— 7,379 tickets with four numbers, each worth $162;

— 8,623 tickets with three numbers and the Mega number, each worth $158;

— 380,093 tickets with three numbers, each worth $7;

— 143,798 tickets with two numbers and the Mega number, each worth $10;

— 862,512 tickets with one number and the Mega number, each worth $3; and

— 1,607,052 tickets with the Mega number, each worth $2.

Tickets matching all six numbers were sold in Maryland, Illinois and Kansas.

The jackpot for Tuesday’s drawing will be $12 million.