Big jackpots have lottery players dreaming

New York State lottery officials are anticipating a rush of customers as two big payouts loom from multistate games, with the Mega Millions jackpot alone at nearly a quarter-billion.

"Whenever you get into the triple digits, you see an increase in activity," Lotto spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman said Tuesday.

The Mega Millions drawing Tuesday night has a $244 million prize, paid out over 25 years. A winner who opts for a one-time payment would get $155.7 million, the amount Lotto would have to invest today to net $244 million over 25 years, she said.

The Powerball game has reached $101 million, with an option of a one-time payment of $51.5 million, she said. The Powerball drawing will be Wednesday night.

In Powerball, players pick six numbers from two different pools of numbers -- five numbers from 1 to 59 and a Powerball from 1 to 39. The record payout was $390 million in January, split between two ticket-holders from other states.

In Mega Millions, players also pick six numbers from two separate pools -- but the five numbers range from 1 to 56 and the Megaball is from 1 to 46. The record for the Mega drawing was a $365 million payout in February 2006 to a group of Nebraska co-workers.