PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — With the holidays officially upon us, many are hoping for a miracle way to afford the perfect season and thinking, “Oh if only I won the lottery.”
Well, maybe someone will get lucky this holiday as The Virginia Lottery is at a half a billion dollars for Friday’s Jackpot drawing. The odds of winning the grand prize is 1 in 302,575,350, so I wouldn’t count on quitting the day job just yet.
The winning numbers in Tuesday’s drawing were 5 22 24 39 42, with a Jackpot number 3. Meanwhile, a different lottery game has a drawing on Wednesday. Powerball currently has a $196 million prize pool.
The real question is … what would you do if you won the lottery?
Demetrius Ross, a resident in Portsmouth, said the first thing he would do is help the homeless.
“Well, first of all, I’d find some buildings and rent out, so I could put the homeless in them and feed them,” Ross said. “Then, I’d start a business for all the senior citizens, build a house for my family and friends — keep the community together.”
Ranie Ricks, another resident in Portsmouth, said how he’d spend the money this season.
“Well first I’d probably play Santa,” Ricks said. “Secondly, all the bills are gone. And then thirdly, I got people like the lady over there that I got to compete with — I’d pay her bills too.”
Ricks said he wouldn’t spend the money on “stuff”, but rather “do stuff with it.”