Ticket sales at 'lucky' store increase as jackpots soar

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- UPDATE: Here are the winning numbers for the $1.6 billion jackpot: 5-28-62-65-70 Mega ball: 5

The massive $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot and $620 million Powerball jackpot are driving up ticket sales even more at Bilboa Food Mart in Durham.

The store on Angier Avenue is one of the stores in the state with the most Mega Million wins over $600, and has been named in the top 100 in the state in sales.

"Everybody's mental attitude is just so excited," said Joseph McGinley, who owns the store with his wife, Renee. "Everybody wants to come in and they want that big money."

McGinley said they've sold many large prizes.

"It's because of our ticket sales because we go through so many tickets and the more tickets you sell the chances are that we're going to get more winners in our racks," McGinley said.

The wins have drawn more customers to the store they consider lucky.

Related: Mega Millions: These North Carolina stores have the most big wins

Customers have purchased their tickets at the "lucky" store has tried to maximize winning chances with their unique strategies.

Brannon Day, of Durham, spaced out his purchases as he bought $72 worth of tickets for his company pool. He even returned to the store multiple times.

"I'll come buy some tickets," Day said. "Then I'll go home. Then I come back some more. Then I come back the next day and get some more. I don't buy them all at the same time."

Pam Markham chose her numbers from the football game on television last night.

"They just stuck out," Markham said. "They came across and they just stuck out. They came from different teams, what the scores was, when they were playing at the beginning and halftime."

Notable wins in North Carolina:

• A man bought a $1 million Mega Millions ticket at the Cruizers 8105 on Falls of Neuse in Raleigh two years ago. The store has already sold more than double the amount of tickets it normally does.
• Eagles Number 4 on Glenwood in Raleigh sold a $40,000 dollar Mega Millions ticket in March.

List of stores with the most wins over $600 since the state joined the Mega Millions in 2010:

• Buffalo Shoals Supermarket, 2887 Buffalo Shoals Road, Newton 9 wins
• Rose Mart # 14, 1701 W Raleigh Rd, Wilson 9 wins
• Time Saver Food Store # 1, 270 Washington St, Whiteville 9 wins
• Buy And Go #7, 9413 Ploof Road, Leland 8 wins
• Handy Mart # 56, 3495 Western Blvd, Jacksonville 8 wins
• Jay's Food Mart, 200 W. Morganton Rd, Southern Pines 7 wins
• Cigarettes & More, 8328 Pineville Matthews Rd, Charlotte 7 wins
• Mountain Island Bp, 2211 Vinnies Way, Charlotte 7 wins
• Bilboa Food Mart, Inc., 3639 Angier Avenue, Durham 7 wins
• Simon's Mart, 6308 The Plaza, Suite B, Charlotte 7 wins
• Gate # 417, 9625 Rocky River Road, Charlotte 6 wins
• College Lakes Liberty, 4147 Ramsey St, Fayetteville 6 wins

It's worth noting that the odds are the same for everyone who plays- roughly one in 302 million.

North Carolina lottery officials point out that, often times, the places where the most tickets are sold are also the same places where the most tickets will be won.