LANSING (WKZO-AM) — The Michigan Lottery is expecting a huge number of tickets to be purchased for this weekend’s record $675 million Powerball drawing.
Spokesperson Jeff Holyfield said Michiganders bought 6.3 million tickets for the $500 million prize, with 600,000 being scooped up between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday.
He said lottery officials are expecting a similar fervor for instant riches this weekend.
“We expect there’s going to be a lot of player excitement for this jackpot, and frankly, by the time we get to Saturday night, we expect it to be higher,” Holyfield said.
Though smaller cash prizes were claimed throughout Michigan on Wednesday, local schools received the biggest chunk of change. Holyfield said last-minute ticket sales pumped an additional $4 million into the Michigan School Aid Fund.
– Anthony Pollreisz
