Houstonians try their luck at record $ 1.6 billion jackpot

Salim Palsani does not normally give in to the lottery fever, he just sells tickets rather than buying them himself.

But this week, Palsani, who runs an Exxon Mobil, bought three Mega Million tickets at three different locations and even insisted that his two daughters and son cash too.

"How could I not?" Said Palsani.

For the first time, the Mega Millions jackpot is estimated at $ 1.6 billion. The Houston and US lottery players expect for a slim but real chance to transform their lives overnight.

The cash option is estimated at nearly $ 905 million, according to the game's website.

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The Texaco Dunlavy Mart near Dallas and Dunlavy sold $ 7,000 in Mega Million tickets just Friday, said Woo Lee store manager. On Monday, the Mega Millions website broke down, followed by a higher than normal number of visitors, the Maryland Gaming Commission told Reuters.

"Mega Millions has already entered the historic territory, but it is truly amazing to think that the jackpot has reached a world record," said Gordon Medenica, senior director of the Mega Millions group, in a statement.

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Palsani noted that there was an increase in the number of players trying their luck for the first time. To such an extent that he plans to recruit two additional employees in the 4910 Weslayan Exxon store in order to serve customers looking for tickets and help them understand how the game works.

Marta Tamez of the East End is one of these players. She never got bored with Mega Millions or with the Powerball, thinking that it was impossible for a person to earn so much money with a piece of paper at $ 2.

Yet last week, a friend encouraged Tamez, 48, to buy a ticket and at least participate in the party. She gave him the money and he took care of the rest. Although none of her numbers matched, she was considering buying her own ticket Monday night.

"I would first buy a big house then give to the needy," Tamez said.

Tamez's initial pessimism about his chances of winning is justified in many ways.

Cornelius Nelan, a professor of mathematics at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, told The Associated Press that the odds of winning the jackpot are about the same as throwing a dice 11 times in a row and noticing. get one each time.

Assuming we beat the odds, the consequences of the win can be his own game.

Over the past 20 years, Robert Pagliarini, president of California-based wealth management firm Pacifica Wealth Advisors, has worked with lottery winners across the country, helping them determine next steps.

According to Pagliarini, winners tend to experience two visceral emotions at once: excitement and, as one client put it, "a feeling of unhappiness".

This conviction often stems from what Pagliarini calls the "curse of the lottery". The winners of the Jackpot in the past have ended up losing all their wealth or even going to jail after a series of misguided financial decisions.

"Money does not solve all your problems," he said.

Although the jackpot can be used to improve the winner's life, it can also hurt interpersonal relationships, leaving the winner with anxiety causing false movements. It is a question of considering the jackpot as a new financial responsibility, added Pagliarini.

If anyone has the chance to win the huge jackpot Tuesday night, Pagliarini recommends three immediate steps: sign the winning ticket, take a picture of the ticket and yourself with the ticket and hire a lawyer in law or a financial advisor. when visiting the local lottery.

Luck has already hit San Antonio this month when a Floresville resident won $ 5 million in the Mega Million draw on October 16, matching five digits to the mega-fold feature that adds to a basic price.

Tuesday's draw is at 10 pm

"While hoping that the lucky winner will be a Texan, we want to remind our players to play responsibly," said Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery, in a statement. "It only takes one ticket to win."

Ileana Najarro reports on immigration and social issues at the Houston Chronicle. She can be contacted at [email protected] or on Twitter @IleanaNajarro.