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Dutchess Residents Excited About $1.5B Powerball Jackpot

DUTCHESS COUNTY, N.Y. -- Becoming a billionaire is as easy as spending $2 on a Powerball ticket.

The Powerball jackpot can only display three digits.

The Powerball jackpot can only display three digits.

Photo Credit: Sam Barron
Lewis Stern holds up a Powerball ticket at Yorktown Wine and Liquors.

Lewis Stern holds up a Powerball ticket at Yorktown Wine and Liquors.

Photo Credit: Sam Barron

Poll
What would you do if you won the record Powerball jackpot?
Final Results Voting Closed

What would you do if you won the record Powerball jackpot?

  • Go on a long vacation
    13%
  • Buy a new house — or two
    19%
  • Buy a new car — or two
    3%
  • Start a business
    6%
  • Give it all away
    5%
  • Keep it a secret
    33%
  • It's too much money to even consider
    21%

The unprecedented $1.5 billion Powerball lottery will be drawn on Wednesday night at 10:59 p.m. The record jackpot swelled after Saturday's $900 million jackpot did not produce a winner.

Despite the long odds, Dutchess residents are already thinking about how they would spend the money.

Elena McPhee, a Salt Point resident, played on Saturday and said she would be playing again.

"If I won all that money, I would send my kids to Harvard, and open an animal rescue," McPhee said. "I would buy lots of property to do so, and rescue as many animals that I could. And then hire the right people to help get this going. And maybe buy a pair of shoes."

Amy Magee, a Stormville resident, said she didn't play Saturday, but will play on Wednesday.

"You've got to be in it to win it, right?" Magee said. "If I won I would do what I figure most people would plan on doing. Pay off my mortgage and car loans. Pay off my kids college. Take an awesome vacation. Then, I would plan on where to put the money so it would be their for our kids and grandkids."

Marybeth Cale, a Rhinebeck resident, said she is an optimist and made sure her husband got a ticket on Saturday and will do so again on Wednesday.

Cale said she would set up a foundation to tackle issues for people living in poverty, make sure to have funds left for her children and future generations, pay off debts and buy a beach house. 

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