By: Melissa Toupin
mtoupin@abc6.com
The cash register at East Side Mini-Mart in Providence was working over time Tuesday. People were rushing in throughout the day to buy a ticket that could win them hundreds of millions of dollars.
Tonight's Powerball jackpot is $320 million dollars. It's the 4th largest prize in the game's history.
Rhode Islanders hit big Powerball jackpots twice already this year. In February a Newport woman won $336.4 million. A Smithfield woman would also claim a $60 million prize.
When it comes to choosing numbers, many people go right for the Quick Picks. Stacey Ferreria of Warwick prefers strategy.
"My grandfather played the same numbers for 100 years," said Ferreria. "When the Powerball gets pretty big I play his numbers, and hopefully they will come out some day."
But is there a way to better your chances? One 7 time lottery winner says, yes. His advice: pick your own numbers, eliminating ones that have recently come up, commit to your personal strategy, and avoid lottery fever, only playing when the jackpot is high.
It's advice John DeMaria follows.
"I've seen people pick 100 tickets and they still loose," said DeMaria as he bought a ticket Tuesday afternoon. "I pick one and go with it."
Lottery officials say there have been 14 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner since June 27.
A winner who chooses the cash option would get a lump sum payment of $213.3 million.
