WACO, Texas — Why not play the Mega Millions with $1.2B at stake?
Texans around the state are gearing up for the big jackpot, a record $1.28B that would certainly change anyone's life.
"First thing I'm doing is pay my mom's bills off," Waco resident Vance Simmons said. "She's free. She wouldn't have to worry about anything ever again."
Surprisingly, a lot of other Central Texans say they too would be willing to give to their families and community before they indulge in luxury homes, cars and other things.
"I would pay my tithes, and share the money with my family. I would definitely leave plenty for my kids," Angela Washington said. "I don't need much more in life, I'd be comfortable. But I've got people I'd have to look out for. I don't mind sharing."
I even found some Baylor Basketball guards who said they'd provide for others first if they hit that kind of a jackpot.
"First, I'm just gonna take care of my family really make sure they're all straight. And then eventually I would just find ways just to give back to the community," Baylor Guard Langston Love said.
"The main thing is taking care of the family. You know, people, you know, I made a lot of sacrifices for me, you know, outside of family and close friends," Baylor fiver-star guard Keynote George said.
But of course, even among the givers, there were still some who wished to indulge in some big buys.
"This might sound crazy," Simmons said. "But I'm going to Oregon and I'm buying every size 12 shoe in the Nike HQ. I'd want to wear a different pair of shoes every single day for the rest of my life."
"A brand new car. I hate my car," Alyssa Reimer said.
With taxes, you're looking at about half a billion dollars, but that's still nothing to sneeze at. Central Texans say they're not changing their tone as far as giving to others first.
"I'm just gonna move the same way. I'm gonna buy a house but it's not gonna be a million-dollar house. It'd be like a $700,000 house something comfortable. So when relatives come in, they have their own room. You know they wouldn't stay in a hotel."
The draw for the big jackpot is tonight. If nobody wins, the prize will go up once again.
As of now:
Cumulative Texas Mega Millions draw sales (this roll) up to the 9 p.m. hour July 29 are $62,376,624.
- The 8:00 – 8:59 p.m. hour included $5,456,172 in Mega Millions draw sales.
- This represents cumulative growth of 343% over last Friday at the same hourly time period.
- This represents cumulative growth of 409% over yesterday at the same hourly time period.
- Current hourly Mega Millions of sales per minute in Texas are $90,936.
Source: Texas Lottery Comission