At least two people will share $579.9 million lottery jackpot

CHICAGO — At least two people will share the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.

Winning Powerball tickets were sold in Arizona and Missouri, lottery officials said.

The numbers drawn Wednesday night were: 5, 16, 22, 23, 29 and Powerball of 6.

A lottery official said late Wednesday that the jackpot increased to $579.9 million by the time of the drawing, making the cash option $379.8 million.

Americans went on a ticket-buying spree in recent days, the big money enticing many people who rarely, if ever, play the lottery to purchase a shot at the second-largest payout in U.S. history.

Among them was Lamar Fallie, a jobless Chicago man who said his six tickets conjured a pleasant daydream: If he won, he planned to take care of his church, make big donations to schools and then “retire from being unemployed.”

Tickets were selling at a rate of 130,000 a minute nationwide — about six times the volume from a week ago.

The jackpot had already rolled over 16 consecutive times without a winner, but Powerball officials said earlier Wednesday they believed there was a 75 percent chance the winning combination would be drawn this time.

In the Mega Millions drawing in March, when three ticket buyers shared a $656 million jackpot, which remains the largest lottery payout of all time.

Yvette Gavin, who sold the tickets to Fallie, is only an occasional lottery player herself, but the huge jackpot meant she definitely played this time. As for the promises she often gets from ticket purchasers, Gavin isn’t holding her breath.

“A lot of customers say if they win, they will take care of me, but I will have to wait and see,” she said.