Stores see Powerball boost

BOCA RATON, Fla. - The draw of a big Powerball jackpot is giving a boost to South Florida businesses.

Several stores that sell tickets for Wednesday's drawing say they're also selling a lot more items on the side.

"First I bought smokes. Then I bought the winner," said Craig Weingarden of Boca Raton, who stopped into the Chevron station on Yamato Road this afternoon.

Overall sales jumped there by as much as forty percent because of the jackpot.

"(I spent) almost eighty bucks," said Damien Iveoy of Pompano Beach.

"It's a big relief. If the store is busy, you have your job, it's secure," said Gustavo Sanchez, a store clerk at the Chevron.

At King's Beverage in Boca Raton, business has been slow. But not today. Instead of selling their average of five lotto tickets, they sold twenty five.

"When people come in for Powerball when it gets really high, people look and they're like I might as well get a shot while I'm in here," said clerk Mark Schneider.

But it's not gravy everywhere.

Clerks at the 7-11 on Palmetto Park Rd. say lotto fever is just that - that auxiliary sales get soaked up by a big chain store that's nearby.

"I wish we made more on other stuff," said Shaf Sm, a clerk at the store.

The Florida Lotto says stores get five percent commission on all ticket sales.