TOPEKA (KSNT) – The current Powerball and Mega Millions combined total jackpot is $1.9 billion, a new record according to lottery officials.

“I believe the first time in U.S. lottery history,” Cory Thone with the Kansas Lottery said, “that both Powerball and Mega have been at $800 million or higher at the same time.”

Ticket vendors say all those zeros are bringing in more players than usual. Store director of the Hyvee in Topeka, Michael Hostettler says it’s exciting.

“There’s extra energy for people coming inside the store,” he said, “and some extra excitement when it gets that large. And we’re always hopeful maybe it be one of our customers that could win!”

One of those customers is Carolyn Mowery. She says she doesn’t play often, but she’s trying her luck on the billion-dollar Mega Millions jackpot.

“I usually don’t win anything on Mega-Millions,” Mowery said, “I only play it when it’s up real high.”

Hostettler says he doesn’t usually play either but all of those zeros have him buying tickets too.

Thone says it’s that wonder of what you could do with that much money that keeps people playing. Advertising the lottery is part of his job and he says the massive jackpots make it quite a bit easier.

“There’s nothing that does that for us better than a billion-dollar jackpot with mega-millions,” he said. “I mean it is what it is, people see that ‘B’ and they get excited!”

The $1.1 billion Mega Millions jackpot drawing takes place March 26.