The Nation - News from April 26, 1989

North America’s largest lottery jackpot ever soared to $100 million and may go higher due to sales that hit 533 tickets per second, Pennsylvania lottery officials said. “We might not raise the estimate beyond $100 million, but the actual value could easily go beyond $100 million,” said lottery Executive Director James Scroggins. Since the $1 tickets went on sale Thursday, 56.4 million have been sold. Out-of-state players drove to Pennsylvania, and many even flew commercial flights into Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to buy tickets. If one person matches seven of 11 numbers to be drawn tonight, it would exceed the $55.1-million lottery jackpot won by Sheelah Ryan of Florida in September.