New Yorkers Love The Lottery Almost As Much As Georgians

Lending new meaning to the word "whopping," Friday's Mega Millions jackpot is $540 milllion.

By the accounts of several convenience store managers in Bayside, the demand for tickets have had sales soaring.

“It’s big money, so everybody’s playing,” said one manager at the , on Northern Blvd. The last chance to buy tickets is at 10:45p.m. on Friday.

Lottery tickets are especially hot items in New York State. A cynically titled "Sucker Index" compiled by Bloomberg, revealed that residents of New York State lose more on lottery tickets relative to income than the residents of 46 other states. Massachusetts players sunk even more of their state's aggregate income into playing the numbers, though they won more than Georgians, who gambled 1 percent of their income, and made back 63 cents on the dollar.

My personal philosophy on the lottery is, 'Hey, you never know.'

I've given it some thought, and if I were to win the lottery, I can't figure how different my life would be.

I'd still do the same work, but I'd definitely take more vacations. I might hire a pilates instructor, instead of doing the same exercise DVD. While I'm at it, maybe I'd have a hair dresser drop by my home every morning to get fixed up.

I'd do some nice things for the people I love, like we all would. Drop some of the money on any charity that strikes the right heart chord. That's it. Same local editor, I suppose. What would you do with the money?