Powerball Spikes To $325 Million

Powerball mania is sweeping the country after no one hit the winning numbers on Wednesday. But that loss means a huge jackpot gain.

It's now $325 million, or over a 190 million cash option. It's the 5th biggest in Powerball history.

"I'm going to win, that's why I play," remarked one man buying tickets.

Some of the luckiest spots to win the pot of gold are Fordham's Convenience and Grocery, Staten Island's Hyland Stationers, and Jamaica's Shiv Convenience. But today we were in Brooklyn where one worker says customers expect the Fulton Deli to be the next hot spot.

"They come in ans say, can you give me the winning ticket?" the Deli worker said.

And with each purchase, customers start sharing their "what if I win" dreams.

"I'd help my family and friends and pay all the bills they couldn't afford to pay," one man said.

"Take a long vacation is what I'd do," another lotto player added.

"Somebody's gotta win, it might as well be me," Juan Rosa said as he stool on line to buy a Powerball lottery ticket in Midtown."

The odds of winning the third largest Powerball jackpot, $325 million, are now at one in 175 million... But hey, when has that ever stopped anyone from dreaming?

"I just want to lie on a beach and drink coronas, Bloomberg employee Matt Gilioti told PIX 11 as he bought $40 worth of tickets for "a bunch of people in his office."

The cash value of the Powerball jackpot is the highest ever, $202.9 million, due to the weakness of the bond market.

So what would you do: 30-year payout or lump sum cash?

Dalia Blanco knows. She'd take it all at once, "I am not getting any younger. I would buy a house for myself and my family."

The jackpot's so high because tickets jumped from one to two dollars just last month. Most people let the machine do the picking. But not customer Suzie Primo Holder. She felt it was good karma that PIX 11 was interviewing her so Suzie threw in the number eleven when buying her ticket and she promises to remember us when that truckload of money rolls in.

"Yeah, PIX 11. I will come up to the station and spread the money around," Ms. Primo Holder said. "A dollar for everyone!"

A jump in the cost of Powerball ticket from one to two bucks a pop helped push this jackpot to the highest since 2006.