Mega Millions jackpot could bring happy new year -- if you get winning ticket

“Front door open,” chimes a body-less voice in a nondescript white box.

Many customers who enter to the greeting come to purchase a lottery ticket, and anticipation is rising what with Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot sitting at $425 million.

“Don't know,” said Odell Terry as he swings his arms wide and shrugs his shoulders as he tries to explain why he plays the game.

He says he won $2,500 once,

“It lasted about two days,” he said.

Although the Mega Million jackpot currently up for grabs during the Jan. 1 drawing stands at $425 million, it could increase with a surge of last-minute ticket buyers.

That could make for a very happy New Year for Terry, who currently is wearing a surgical mask because of recent dental work.

He has plan for how he's spend his leftover cash if he wins the Mega Millions jackpot.

“Buy me some land and a house in Jamaica,” he says.

Cashier Toni Rose has been working at the Grocery Boy Jr. for about five years.

She talks with the players who regularly visit the store, and said most aren't seeking the big payout.

“Most people, they don't even want the big one, they would be satisfied with $1 million, $2 million (or) $5 million," Rose said, adding that a big payout "would be nice.”

A single winner of the jackpot taking a single payout from the lottery, could walk away with about $250 million before taxes.

That would leave the winner with enough money to throw one heck of a dinner party.

Elliott Crafiak spent a rainy Monday at lunch while sitting at a table out front of Raleigh's iconic Char-Grill restaurant.

“I've played the Mega Million once when it was at some ridiculous number,” he said eating his burger, which costs about $8 when paired with fries and a drink.

Crafiak speculates if he were to win the lottery, “I could buy all the burgers,” and then generously adds, “but you could also buy everyone else a burger. I don't know how many people are in someplace like Raleigh, but I suppose you could buy everyone in town a couple of burgers.”

Officials say the odds of winning the Mega Million jackpot are more than 1-in-300 million.

In 2018, the North Carolina Education Lottery issued 63 payouts of $1 million or more, and 103 people shared in that prize money, totaling nearly $98 million.

That's the kind of money that keeps people like Odell Terry playing the game.

“I'm going to play 'til I win,” he said.