Wisconsin residents rush to buy lottery tickets amidst $1.9 billion jackpot

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - One lucky winner could win the world’s largest Powerball prize. It has climbed up to $1.9 billion. The record-breaking jackpot had people rushing to their nearest gas station to get the winning numbers.

Kwik Trip Assistant Store Leader Sarah Schabel says the surplus of people with a short staff is difficult.

“We have been calling people in from home, asking them to work. We’ve had a line through the back of the store. It’s been crazy,” Schabel said.

Marketing Communications Supervisor for Wisconsin Lottery Shannon Ward says although there were no jackpot winners over the weekend-- some Wisconsinites were lucky.

“On Saturday alone in Wisconsin- there were five $50,000 winners,” Ward said.

The winner of the $1.9 billion could get a lump sum of $929.1 million or receive the entire prize throughout their life.

“They would get half of the jackpot and with the annuity they would get 30 years of payments,” Ward said.

Not only does the winner get rewarded, but so does the seller. “The retailer who sold the ticket would also be awarded $100,000,” Ward said.

Schabel says the lotto machine at the store is broken from all the business, but it is not stopping customers from buying them over the counter.

“People come in and actually buy hundreds of dollars at a time. Some person bought like $3,000 a couple of nights ago,” Schabel said.

This jackpot grabbed the attention of recurring players and first timers.

“Some people are a little laid back. A lot of people that normally don’t do this. Ask to do it and don’t know what they are doing,” Schabel said.

Schabel says she has heard and seen many emotions from customers. Some of them tell her they will come back to her if they win.

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