MACON, Ga. — Georgia's Lottery Commission announced Thursday morning that they raised more than $1.5 billion to help young learners and college students.
Programs funded by lottery proceeds include HOPE scholarships. So far, it has helped out more than 2.1 million college students pay tuition.
Scratch-Offs and Quick-Pick tickets also funded more than two million four-year-olds.
That allows parents, like Rocky Patel, to save more. His kid is starting preschool next month.
"I don't want to spend to the Pre-K or anything, so we're happy to have the free education," he says.
"It's really good for people who need education," convenience store owner Issac Daniel said. "Some people can't provide education because of their income source, so it's a good thing Georgia Lottery is doing."
Agreeing with him, Tracy Reagin thinks investing in education is important.
"We need to put more and more emphasis on education," he said.
The Mega Millions game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. That makes the chances of winning one in 302,575,350.
However, that doesn't faze Reagin, who keeps a Georgia Lottery shake-n-bet keychain.
"The reason in my mind that it is such a good thing is because it puts money towards educating kids, and that is always a great thing, a good thing!" he says. "I don't care what nobody says. They can say 'the lottery is not good' or 'you shouldn't gamble,' but if the money and proceeds go to children for education, that can't be wrong."
People behind the counter, like Daniel, say they are there to help those who want to win big feel a bit luckier.
"I know I've noticed not a lot of people don't know how to play the lottery, so we help them," Daniel said.