Mega Millions lottery jackpot

A security guard monitors the line at Bluebird Liquor in Hawthorne.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Rubi Bazan hurries to play the lottery at Mr. C’s Liquor in San Pedro.  (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Francis Arbie, holding 1-year-old son David Lopez, and Stephanie Brown, far right, rub their lottery tickets over the lucky bluebird statue at Bluebird Liquor.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

James Kim, owner of Bluebird Liquor, holds up a sample of the cash customers are shelling out for lottery tickets.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Josh DiLeva, left, picks numbers as Matte Jurevich, second from left, looks on while waiting in line to play the lottery at Mr. C’s Liquor in San Pedro.  (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Celina Deleon, left, and Frank Guardado joke around while waiting their turn at Mr. C’s Liquor in San Pedro.  (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Denise Martin plays the lottery at Mr. C’s Liquor in San Pedro.  (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Daniel Breazeal of Anniston, Ala., buys lottery tickets at Robinson’s convenience store in Tallapoosa, Ga. Alabama does not participate in the Mega Millions lottery, so residents have to cross state lines to buy tickets.  (Erik S. Lesser / EPA)

Customers purchase Mega Millions lottery tickets at Robinson’s convenience store in Tallapoosa, Ga.  (Erik S. Lesser / EPA)

Joe Bruno of Pelham, Ala., purchases Mega Millions lottery tickets at Robinson’s convenience store in Tallapoosa, Ga.  (Erik S. Lesser / EPA)

Anthony Payne of Birmingham, Ala., fills in his play slip to purchase lottery tickets at Robinson’s convenience store in Tallapoosa, Ga., near the Alabama state line.  (Erik S. Lesser / EPA)

A billboard in Atlanta displays the multi-state Mega Millions lottery jackpot. The jackpot has since swelled; as of early Thursday afternoon, Friday’s drawing was estimated to be worth $540 million.  (Erik S. Lesser / EPA)

A Mega Millions lottery contestant uses his fortune cookie’s lucky numbers to mark his entry at a corner newsstand in New York Thursday.  (Richard Drew / Associated Press)

Tennessee lottery official Rebecca Hargrove, right, greets Mega Millions lottery ticket buyers, including MaryAlice Seaton, left, at the Farragut Market in Knoxville.  (Michael Patrick / Associated Press)

Kathy Babcock kisses her Mega Millions lottery tickets at the Farragut Market in Knoxville, Tenn.  (Michael Patrick / Associated Press)

Patricia Satele, holding her lucky charm duck Patito, crosses her fingers before punching out Mega Million lotto ticket at Bluebird Liquor store in Hawthorne. Store employee Jesus Vasques responds by crossing his fingers as well.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Sgt. Ana Zepeda of Mira Loma, in a U.S. Army uniform, waits in a long line to buy Mega Millions lottery tickets outside Hawthorne’s Bluebird Liquor store, which is famous for selling winning tickets.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)