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As Powerball Jackpot Climbs To $900 Million, Chicagoans Dreaming Big

(CBS) -- The possibility is razor thin, but you could be the winner of 900-million as the jackpot for Saturday's Powerball drawing has reached its largest amount ever.

CBS 2's Jeremy Ross has more on the prize and the jackpot chatter. Ross reports a steady stream of Powerball players came into a Chatham gas station Saturday morning.

The winnings began to balloon around Nov. 4, when the Powerball jackpot was $40 million.

The odds of winning are one in 292.2 million. The University of Florida International estimates the odds of getting attacked by a shark are one in 11.5 million.

So you have a better chance of becoming a shark snack than a winner, but some dine on the dream of becoming a millionaire.

"I got a quick pick," said Stephanie Brown. "This will be the first time I've ever played so I didn't know what to do."

Saturday afternoon, CBS 2's Audrina Bigos reports store clerks say they've had non-stop business since early this morning.

"I'll have to take a vacation, relax and think about it," said Clenastine Bond. "First it will be a financial planner and then everything else will follow."

The drawing takes place at 10 p.m. Saturday.

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