Long odds can't stop big dreams of winning Mega Millions jackpot

The odds of winning Friday's $291 million Mega Millions jackpot are long but it won't keep players from plunking down at least a buck for the chance.

Hoosiers haven't had a chance at a Mega Millions jackpot this big since March 2012, when winners in three states split a $656 million prize.

If a Hoosier were to hit Friday's jackpot, it would be the third largest prize ever won in Indiana. A $314 million Powerball jackpot was won in 2007, and a $295 million Powerball jackpot was won in 1998, according to Hoosier Lottery officials.

No matter the bad odds — 1 in 258,890,850 according to the Hoosier Lottery website — the higher the jackpot, the more interest there is among players.

"Sales are definitely driven by the jackpot," Andi Brancato, a spokesperson for the Hoosier Lottery, said Wednesday. "As it grows, the interest increases among even those who are not regular lottery players."

Like Brent Jones, 32, Indianapolis, who forked out $3 for three tickets Wednesday at a small convenience store inside Regions Bank building Downtown. He only buys tickets when the jackpot is big and couldn't resist the chance at the $291 million.

"To me, it's huge. It's more than I could ever hope for," said Jones, who with winnings would buy his parents a house, have a wonderful Christmas for all of his friends, and take them all on a yacht party. "Me and my roommate have a deal that if one of us hit the big lotteries, we'd take each other and a bunch of friends on a yearlong yacht party and travel the world," said Jones, a salesman at Ricoh Corp., Downtown.

Evangilene Tillman, 45, Fishers, said she would quit work, pay off her mortgage and student loans. "We want to win," said the mortgage processor, who bought tickets for her office pool at Regions Mortgage.

While no player matched all six numbers to win the jackpot on Tuesday, more than 60,000 ticket holders won prizes from $1 to $5,000 by matching one to four numbers in Tuesday's $257 million drawing. Winning numbers were 7-12-41-44-59 MB 3. The Megaplier was 3.

Mega Millions tickets each cost $1. A player can add another dollar for Megaplier, which multiplies non-jackpot winnings up to five times. Winning numbers are drawn at 11 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, with the deadline to purchase tickets at 10:44 p.m.

Kitty Madden, 55, a Southside resident, who has seven children, ages 11 to 20, is a faithful Mega Millions player purchasing her tickets each week at Buck's Market. She would pay off bills, give money to her church and help a couple of friends whose children are ill if she won. Though the odds are not in her favor, handing over $1 for a dream is worth it.

"A million is a good jackpot," she said, "$291 million is big."

Call Star reporter Betsy Reason at (317) 444-6049. Follow her on Twitter @BetsyReason.