Big Game Jackpot Hits $150 Million

Tuesday, May 2nd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ATLANTA (AP) â€” Lottery junkies lined up to buy tickets Tuesday as the jackpot for the Big Game climbed to $150 million, the second highest total in the multistate game's history.

The Big Game is held in Georgia, Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and New Jersey, and Tuesday's big prize drew crowds of players from neighboring states as well.

Thousands of people from the Jacksonville, Fla., area crossed into nearby Kingsland, Ga., to buy tickets for Tuesday night's drawing in Atlanta.

``When you invest this much, you don't quit,'' said Teresa Ross, who spent $20 on Friday's drawing for the Big Game and won $15.

The odds of hitting the jackpot were 1 in 76 million.

The jackpot rose to $140 million after no one hit the winning combination of numbers Friday, and it was raised by $10 million on Monday as ticket sales soared.

The Big Game's record jackpot was $197 million in April 1999, won by a woman in Massachusetts.

Georgia Lottery officials had reason to hope for a winner Tuesday; billboards advertising the Big Game jackpot in the state cannot roll over to $200 million.