PARIS, France – As reported by the Agence France Presse: "Britons with a gambling streak are eyeing a 15-million-euro ($19.21 million) jackpot on offer in a new joint lottery that is to have its first drawing this week - on the superstitious date of Friday the 13th.
"The event, known as 'Euro Millions', is the fruit of cooperation between Britain, France and Spain's national lottery operators that took a decade to put together but which could rapidly expand across the European Union to become of the world's biggest games of chance.
"…Tickets cost a minimum of two euros (US$2.56) and boast odds of one in 24 of landing some sort of prize.
"Coupons are filled out with at least five numbers and two stars on a grid, with numbers hidden under the stars. To increase their chances, players can pick up to nine numbers or nine stars, or have a computer pick the numbers for them.
"…If no one wins the first prize in any of the three countries, it will roll over to the following week and carry on growing until someone hits the jackpot…"
Need $150 million? Try for Mega Millions jackpot
Lottery players have another chance at the good life Friday night when the Mega Millions lottery jackpot reaches an estimated $150 million.
"I have to win before I decide what I'm going to do with the money," said Juárez resident Salvador Reynoso, who buys five tickets for the drawing every week. "I don't have any idea what I would do with that much money."
The game has been attracting thousands of Texans and others in surrounding areas since it began in the state in December.
"People here have been responding well," said Bobby Heith, director of media relations for the Texas Lottery Commission in Austin. "It's been a learning process because it's a new game and it's on a different night ... but sales have been good."
Reynoso has developed his own system for playing the game. He buys five tickets, each with a Megaplier number. That number gives him a chance to multiply any non-jackpot prizes two, three or four times.
Mike Garcia, an employee of the Howdy's convenience store on Gateway West at Airway, said ticket sales are on par with and sometimes exceed sales for Lotto Texas, a state lottery game.
"Maybe because Mega Millions has a bigger jackpot more people are playing that one," he said.
Mega Millions is played in 11 states, and the odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 135 million. The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 43.
Although no ticket matched all six numbers Tuesday night, 20 people won $175,000 each by matching five numbers. Three of those winners were from Texas.
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