Richard McGowan, a Jesuit priest and gambling expert at Boston College, agreed that estimating big jackpots isn't an exact science, but he said officials are under increasing pressure to tout big prizes as the percentage of people playing lotteries has declined over the years. Many people won't even notice a jackpot unless they hear it's the largest ever, he said.
"Anything to spruce up the excitement factor, they're going to use," said McGowan who consults for lottery organizations and groups opposed to gambling. "Just think how much free publicity they got."
McGowan notes that media outlets also like to run stories about "biggest-ever" prizes.
Daysi Lorenzo, center, sells lottery tickets, Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, at La Preferida Superdiscount store in Hialeah, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
