Tonight’s lottery jackpot isn’t just mind-blowing — it’s blowing away lottery signs.
The Mega Millions prize of $1.28 billion is so high that it causes a glitch in the lottery displays of electronic stores that are not programmed to exceed $999 million in stores wherever they sell the tickets.
Stores have been forced to advertise a small jackpot because the signs only have room for three digits — with the word “millions” printed underneath, adding further confusion, workers and customers said.
“They didn’t expect it to go this high,” said Anthony Williams, a 60-year-old doorman who bought a ticket at the Gardenia Deli in Manhattan. “They didn’t build a [sign] for that.”
An official Mega Millions sign at the deli on 30th Street and Eighth Avenue read $999 million Friday afternoon after the prize jumped to a billion earlier this week.
The same display style was at a nearby 99 Cent Discount store, where a manager said the numbers-centric dilemma didn’t stop shoppers from snapping up tickets.
The Mega Millions jackpot will jump to $1.28 billion on Friday night. REUTERS Friday’s jackpot will be the second largest in gaming history, AP
“It’s not a big deal because as soon as the price goes up to about $700 or $800 million, they really don’t care because it’s already a lot,” said Na Lin, 32, who runs the store on Eighth Avenue near 28th Street .
In the past two days, the store has been “crazy busy” with “long lines” of people hoping to strike it rich, in part because the store sold a $100,000 winning ticket in January 2020, she said.
“Every day we sell about $7,000 [in tickets],” she said. “Neighbors say it’s a very happy store that comes to play.”
Bodegas have trouble showing such a big jackpot on digital screens. Reuters
Other incorrect $999 million Mega Millions signs were also spotted in New Jersey, California and Arizona.
The lucky winner of Friday’s 11pm drawing will receive $1.28 billion over 29 years, or a lump sum of $747.2 million, which ends up being $457.5 million after taxes.
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