- Stay Cool By Ice Skating Inside And Avoiding The Heat
- Cubs Fans Get Creative To Combat Heat On Game Day
- Beach Park Man Charged With Stabbing Father With Garden Shears
- Lurie Children's Warns Parents Not To Leave Children In Cars In Extreme Heat
- Hospital Bills Ochoa Family For 'Baby Figueroa' After Baby Was Cut From Womb
- Suburban Police Department 'Cancels' Crime Due To Heat
- Seniors Recall Apollo 11 Moon Landing 50 Years Later
- Woman Who Got Postcard Sent In 1993 Tracks Down Sender
- 3 Children Detained, Released By Immigration Police At O'Hare Airport
- National Bobblehead Hall of Fame Unveils 'Chance The Snapper' Bobblehead
- Toys 'R' Us Is Coming Back with New Stores in the U.S.
- Target Launches Halloween Costumes For Kids With Disabilities
- The Taco Bell Hotel Dishes Out a Killer Menu
- Richard Driscoll Is 200th FDNY Hero to Die From 9/11-Related Illness
- Richard Driscoll Is 200th FDNY Hero to Die From 9/11-Related Illness
- Boy Selling Ice Cold 'Beer' Is a Marketing Genius
- Boy Selling Ice Cold 'Beer' Is a Marketing Genius
- Kate Middleton Has Big Plans for Prince George's Upcoming 6th Birthday
- Kate Middleton Has Big Plans for Prince George's Upcoming 6th Birthday
- Number Of US Overdose Deaths Appears To Be Falling
- Royals Complete Sweep Of White Sox
- The New And Improved Blackhawks? Bowman Talks New Team
- White Sox Lose Sixth Straight
- Yu Darvish Gets His First Wrigley Win As A Cub
- Sparkman Shuts Down White Sox In Royals' 11-0 win
- Schwarber's Homer In 10th Gives Cubs Win Over Reds
- Junis, Lopez Lead Royals Past White Sox
- Reds Top Cubs 6-3
- Bears' Trubisky Gets Sacked In 'Madden 20' Game Rating
- Notre Dame Becomes Focus Of International Soccer This Week
On Air Now
RADIO.COM
State Of Illinois Wins Big With Continued Purchases Of Mega Millions Tickets
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Hours ahead of Tuesday night's drawing for the record $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot, the state is already a winner.
Win or lose, the head of the Illinois Lottery said the state has collected $20 million from Mega Millions ticket sales since this jackpot started growing back in July. That's because the state gets 25 cents on the dollar for every lottery ticket purchased.
"This allows people the chance to dream big, but it also allows them to support the state and support education," said acting Lottery Director Harold Mays.
He said the money goes to schools, special causes that have their own lottery games and capital projects.
Twenty-five drawings without a winner has help boost Mega Millions ticket sales in Illinois, with an increase of 200 percent over last year. But it does appear to be the cost of another game.
"The Powerball sales are lagging behind Mega Millions right now," Mays said.
The Powerball jackpot is up to $620 million for Wednesday night's drawing.