Kimberly Starks, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Lottery, said Friday the jackpot had increased. The jackpot had stood at $540 million before Friday's announcement. The previous record jackpot was $390 million in 2007.
A drawing for the fortune is set for 11 p.m. Friday in Atlanta.
The odds of winning the jackpot had been set at about 1 in 176 million.
MegaMillions has drawn long lines of lottery players in stores in the 42 states plus Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands where tickets are sold. The world-record jackpot has also lured some residents to travel to other states to buy $1 tickets.
Employees at the BP gas station and Circle M Food Mart on Thompson Bridge Road in Gainesville said they've seen a higher number of customers buying lottery tickets since the prize reached an all-time high.
Accessnorthga.com's Katie Highsmith contributed to this report.
An employee at the Circle M Food Mart on Thompson Bridge Road in Gainesville takes money from customers buying lottery tickets Friday afternoon as the jackpot increases to a record high of $640 million.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2012/3/247019