EASTHAMPTON — As of Monday night, with the Mega Millions jackpot at a record high of $1.6 billion and the Powerball grand prize set at $620 million, countless people across the nation are trying their luck in hopes of joining the billionaire class.
Tempted to take a shot at the big prize? You’re more likely to win a U.S. presidential bid or become canonized by the Catholic Church than you are to strike the jackpot, according to Gregory Baer, author of “Life: The Odds.”
Odds of winning the $1.6 billion grand prize, which will be drawn Tuesday at 11 p.m., are just 1 in 302,575,350 — a statistic that makes the chances of becoming president seem almost optimistic at around 1 in 10 million. Meanwhile, you have a 1 in 20 million chance at becoming a saint.
But that hasn’t stopped Pioneer Valley residents from playing.
“If you don’t buy a ticket, there’s no chance of winning,” said Daniel Kelm of Easthampton, who added that he and his wife usually buy a ticket for Mega Millions and Megabucks each week.
In spite of the slim odds, Kelm said that even having a chance is enough reason for him to play.
“I gave up on the whole concept of cause and effect and control years ago, and I invite things to happen,” Kelm said. “So, this is just an invitation.”
Albert Lapan of Westhampton said he doesn’t typically play the lottery, but the high prize amount was too much to pass up. Holding a napkin that had his wife’s suggested lottery numbers scrawled on it, Lapan sat at a table in College Highway Variety as he filled out a Powerball ticket.
“I’m just going by my wife’s napkin, and hopefully we’ll wipe it clean,” Lapan said.
But others aren’t as optimistic.
Steven Baer of Easthampton said he has never purchased tickets for the state lottery and hardly plays the lottery in general.
“I work hard for my money,” Baer said. “I’d rather put it into other things.
“The jackpot didn’t get that high by people winning,” he added.
Miles Ott, an assistant professor of statistical and data sciences at Smith College, agreed with this assessment.
“I do not think it’s a good idea to play this game,” Ott said, “because the chances of you winning are very, very low.”
Ishu Patel, an employee at College Highway Variety, needed only one word to describe the state of the convenience store in the hours leading up to the drawing: “Busy, busy, busy.”
Patel said that on Monday and Thursday nights, people will line up at the counter just to buy tickets for Tuesday and Friday Mega Millions drawings. With the jackpot swelling, the store has seen larger crowds than usual.
Asked if she planned on buying a ticket, Donna Sims of Northampton said, “I think everybody is.” As for what she’d do with the grand prize money, “I’d set my whole family up,” Sims said. “I’d probably go on a much-needed vacation and bring my family with me.”
It’s hard not to daydream about winning the jackpot, Ott acknowledged.
“If that daydreaming possibility is worth more than about $2, then who am I to tell you to not daydream?” Ott said. “But if you’re doing it strictly to earn money and the daydream has no value, then I would say not to do this.”
Jacquelyn Voghel can be reached at jvoghel@gazettenet.com.