the soda pop shop, rather, in catonsville. and they're just selling fast. >> reporter: this saturday sound of a record-breaking jackpot up for grabs. atat the soda pop shop in catonsville, the line for mega millions ticket is nonstop. >> running through. >> it's the biggest jackpot on earth ever. $640 million. for some mega millions players. >> i'm going to make some money. >> a huge house. for my family so i can move away. >> i'll be in maryland, but i'll be hiding. >> reporter: if she wins the record-breaking jackpot, he could buy 1,000 houses, worth half a million dollars each. >> i think it's fair when the jackpot reached $540 million yesterday, anyone who was remotely interested, bought a ticket. >> three weeks ago, i was like, i'm not going to play these numbers i dreamed about. today, i'm just going to try it. >> reporter: for some, it's all about the luck of the draw. >> i'm 83 years ole. i'm liable to have a heart attack. >> 83-year-olds can spend money, too, right? >> i'll have a heart attack and be in st. agnes hospi

we have been here at the soda pop shop all day here in catonville. this has not stopped. people having come be-- have been coming in throughout the day. clerks here say they sold more than $6,000 worth of tickets in this one day alone. >> reporter: it's the biggest jackpot on earth ever. $640 million. for some mega millions players, their dreams are now as big as the prize. >> first thing you do is what? >> i would donate some money to the cancer society. because i need a tax writeoff. >> help my family out. >> a huge house for my family, so i can move away. >> but you would not be in maryland anymore? >> i would be in maryland, but i will be hiding? >> if she wins the record- breaking jackpot, she could by 1,000 houses, worth half a million each. >> i think anyone remotely inclined to play the lottery was out there buying a ticket. >> reporter: lottery players are calling on every strategy to cash in. >> have these be number -- numbers in my mind. i was like, i'm not going to play it. >> but for some players, it's all about the luck. of the draw. >> mega. >> 83 years old

we are said appear at the social -- soda pop shop. the guys were working behind the counter had people coming in all week long. i talked to the honor and he said they have gone more business as a result of people buying lottery tickets. a lot of excitement is building for this jackpot. we're joined by one of the people that is playing. you got a lot of tickets out here. >> i do but it takes one. i have to. >> what would you do with the money? >> i would retire foand pay my house off and pay my debts, by my adult kids our house and my family and take my twin -- trip to hawaii. >> thank you for that, good luck to you. you are monitoring the different races. you have until 5 -- 10:45 p.m. tomorrow night. you can watch the final numbers on our station. just curious what you are talking about it hopefully includes helping me out a little bit. >> rod will by everyone a house. >> that is tomorrow night at 11:00 p.m. forecast.ur go >> temperatures are getting closer to normal for most of the day but it is skewed because before dawn, it was st

. >> we are here to live at the soda pop shop. this is the owner. we're talking about tickets being sold. how many have you sold today? >> $9,000. that is about 4000 tickets. >> how much above normal is that? >> it is about four times above. >> this is good for business. thank you very much. they are buying the tickets. rob roblin for wbal-tv 11 news. >> ticket sales stop it 10:45 tonight. you can watch the drawing tonight. we are airing it live at the top of the 11:00 news. how soon will we know if there is a winner? carol from the lottery will be answering questions at 10:00. submit your questions on facebook. watch for the answers. >> we have a developing story of baltimore city. 11 news has learned four elementary school students were taken out of class in handcuffs. police said there charged with assault in connection with a brawl it took place 10 days ago. sheldon dutes joins us live from north of war with what the aclu is saying about the situation. >> -- from north baltimore with what the aclu is saying about a situation. >> the aclu is sayi

while the soda pop shop in catonsville has already sold about 1,300 tickets this week alone, the mega millions jackpot is worth an estimated $540 million. after taxes, when everything is said and corn the winner could you walk away with a lump sum of nearly $260 million, or a yearly payment of $13.8 million. but the odds of getting your hands on all of this money is very, very slim. officials say the odds of anyone winning the mega millions jackpot is one in 176 million. experts say you have a greater chance of having a shark bite you or even becoming a state and winning the jackpot. i don't know about you, i'd rather win the jackpot than getting bit by a shark. time is of the essence. ticket sales will stop tonight at 10:45, and soon after that, a drawing here on wbal-tv. reporting life in north baltimore this morning. >> i'm with you, you're so right. and you can watch the largest mega millions drawing ever right here on wbal-tv. we'll air the live drawing exclusively on 11 news tonight. that does bring us to our water cooler question of the day. will you be buying more mega million

now, the soda pop shop in catonsville has already sold about 1,300 tickets this week alone. the mega millions jackpot is worth an estimated $540 million. after taxes, when everything is said and done, the winner could walk away with a lump sum of nearly $260 million, or a yearly payment of $13.8 million. but the odds of getting your hands on all of this money are very, very slim. officials say the odds of anyone winning the mega millions jackpot is one in 176 million. experts say you have as great a chance of having a shark bite you or becoming a sanity than winning the jackpot. >> well, i wasn't counting on being canonized anyway, so that means my odds are even better. >> you see the odds stacked up against you? >> i'm going to stay very optimistic about my winning, that's for sure. keep in mind, ticket sales end tonight at 10:45, and the drawing is soon after on 11 news at 11:00. reporting live in northwest baltimore, nadia ramdass, wbal-tv 11 news. >> all right, thanks so much, nadia. you can watch the largest mega millions drawing ever right here on wbal-tv. we'll have t

the soda pop shop has already sold more than 12,500 tickets this week alone. to get sales are high across the country, meaning more people are interested in playing. that could make an even higher jackpot. >> is a longshot, but i figure, let me try it. >> the odds of anyone winning the jackpot is one in 176 million. you have a better chance of getting bitten by a shark or becoming a saint. the orioles have a better chance of winning the world series than any of us have at winning the jackpot. >> i was not planning on being canonized anyway. that means my odds are even better. [laughter] >> and you see the odds stacked up against you. why do you play? >> people only play when it is a humongous number. i play when the odds are the worst. it is just fun. you can what if r an hour to until they pull the numbers out. >> we can all dream for a little longer, at least tomorrow night when nose -- at least until tomorrow night, when the numbers are growing -- are drawn. we are live in north baltimore. >> and you can test the mega millions drawing live tomorrow night ri

the soda pop shop has sold winning tickets so i will try my luck and try buying a ticket. can i please get one lottery ticket? hopefully, we're lucky, there it goes. this could be the winning ticket. if it is i will have to share with you back in the studio. >> if you do not show of for work saturday we will know why. you can watch the numbers unfold as they are being drawn. we're the only place to watch the live exclusive drawing tomorrow night to see if you are sheldon will be taking home the jackpot which is expected to rise. tune in tomorrow night, 11:22 p.m. is the exact time of the drawing and between then and now, keep your fingers crossed. >> we're following some medical news, breaking medical news. autism is more common than previously thought. >> the numbers are staggering. the cdc releasing some eye opening statistics on what is being called a public health emergency. details when we come back. >> this truck crash ended in fire. the latest on what is happening with the investigation. >> a freeze warning out again for the northern suburbs. we will see how chile i

. >> you are looking at a live picture of the soda pop shop. people are lined up buying the tickets. they are selling at a record pace. the drawing is tonight right here on channel 11. good luck, everybody. i have my tickets. >> i bet you do have your tickets. i have mine. ticket sales stopped at 10:45 tonight -- stop tonight at 10:45 tonight. we're erring on the drawing live tonight. >> students were taken out of school in handcuffs and charged with assault. authorities remain tight-lipped because the kids are eight and nine. this all started at the playground in southwest baltimore. a group of kids reportedly attacked another group with sticks. in retaliation, one child had was forcibly held under water. another was forced to lie down on a railroad track. 10 days later, the children were taken out of the elementary school for a rest. 11 news has received a statement from the american civil liberties union calling the way police handled the situation appalling and deeply troubling. sheldon dutes will have a live report at 6:00. >> baltimore ci

if not, i'll probably be back at this soda pop shop in catonsville, buying a ticket again. one, two, three, four, five, six lines of folks, ready to cash in. >> reporter: it's the biggest jackpot on earth ever. $640 million. for some mega millions players, their dreams are now as big as the prize. >> first thing you do is what? >> i would donate some money to the cancer society. because i need a tax writeoff. >> help my family out. >> a huge house for my family so i could move away. >> so you would not be in maryland anymore? >> i would be in maryland. but i would be hiding. >> reporter: if she wins the record-breaking jackpot, she could buy 100,000 houses. >> i think anyone who is remotely inclined to play the lottery was out there buying a ticket. >> reporter: they are calling on every strategy to cash in. >> what's up with these dreams on my mind. i was like, i'm not going to play it. today, i'm going to play it and see what happens. >> reporter: for some layers -- players, it's all about the luck of the draw. >> 83 years old. i'm liable to have a heart attack. >> 83-yea