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$800 million up for grabs between Mega Millions, Powerball

ATLANTA — UPDATE: The winning numbers for the Jan. 2 drawing were: 4-42-64-47-70 with a megaball of 22.

The Mega Millions and Powerball games have the largest jackpots the games have seen in months and lottery customers are hoping to cash in.

Metro Atlantans are hoping to start off the new year by striking it rich.

Channel 2 Action News spoke with Eldridge Askins on Tuesday afternoon after he bought one

Mega Millions ticket and one Powerball ticket hoping to win either of the giant jackpots.

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“This would make it great. Definitely make it great,” Askins said.

The Mega Millions jackpot has grown to $361 million. Powerball is currently at $440 million.

The big jackpots led customer Nick Wiedmann to not buy the candy he came for at a midtown convenience store.

Instead, he spent the money on two lottery tickets.

You can watch the drawing tonight LIVE right before the Channel 2 Action News Nighbeat at 11 p.m.

“I'm just finishing up school so it has to be nice to have a little cash bonus graduating college and figure out where to go from there,” Wiedmann said.

The last time the two jackpots were this big was in the heat of summer.

“If I win I'm going to buy ... (prostheses) for people that need limbs. I'm going to give some research money to autism. Also going to come up with money for rehabilitation for people with spinal injuries,” Askins said.

If there is not a winner for Tuesday’s drawing, the Mega Millions jackpot will roll to $418 million for Friday.

The estimated cash value of this jackpot, based on projected sales and current interest rates, is approximately $261,576,000.

Cox Media Group

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