Alabama residents head to Georgia to buy $1.5-billion Mega Millions tickets

TALLAPOOSA, Ga. - Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing has the largest jackpot in the game's history at $1.58 billion. Thousands across Georgia flocked to retailers to secure what they hoped was a winning ticket. 

"Once in a lifetime you know what I mean," Justin Burtts said. 

Many at the Robinson and Son gas station in Tallapoosa, near the Alabama state line, drove well over an hour from Alabama to get there. Since Alabama doesn't have a lottery, the convenience store is their closest stop to play.

"If it gets big, and I have the opportunity to at the time, I will take a ride over here. It might be a long ride, but you get good company, it ain't so bad," Keith Bracy said. 

Everyone at some of Georgia's top lottery retail spots telling FOX 5 they've been thinking about what they'd do if they win big. 

"I would get my mother a brand-new house and I would start my own business," Burtts said. 

"We hope this works for us, we could bless a lot of people," Bracy added.

The $1.58-billion jackpot is the third-highest total jackpot in U.S. history. If one ticket wins in Tuesday's drawing the cash payout would be a little more than $757 million.

And while odds of winning are very low, 1 in 303 million, some people buying their tickets Tuesday said the time spent together as a family is well worth the drive and cost.

"We're retired, I mean, this is something for us to do together," said Connie Hawkins, who drove to Tallapoosa to buy tickets with her husband. 

"It's been fun. I like spending time with my dad. We have a blast listening to Taylor Swift," Bracy's daughter Rebecca added.