MEGA QUESTION WILL BIG JACKPOT GAME FLY IN STATE?

Byline: Rachel Uranga and Steve Geissinger Staff Writers

SAN FERNANDO - Wagering $2 for a dreamy, millionaire's life, Jessie Hernandez joined tens of thousands of others Tuesday making last-minute bids to take home $100 million and become California's first Mega jackpot winner.

``As soon as I saw it on television, I knew I had to try it,'' said the 52-year old mother of six.

``It's more money than I have ever dreamed of,'' said the first time Mega Millions player as she left a San Fernando 7-Eleven, clutching her ticket.

Tuesday's numbers were 5, 17, 32, 39, 53 and mega number 36.

Despite expectations that Mega Millions, the expanded 12-state lottery game, would quickly overshadow California's own Super Lotto, early sales show that the bigger jackpot game has yet to spread.

From June 22, when the Mega tickets first went on sale, through July 10, 38.3 million Super Lotto tickets had been sold compared with 22.6 million Mega Millions tickets.

Retailers say some customers have been driven away by the mega-long odds: 1 in 175 million for Mega Millions compared with 1 in 41 million for Super Lotto.

At Giant Liquor in Sylmar, where a short line began forming by 5 p.m., none of those figures seemed to matter.

``There's always a winning number and we are hoping Mega will hit here,'' said Cristina Salcido after purchasing a $5 quick pick at the liquor store. ``Now instead of playing twice a week I am having to play four times a week.''

With the advent of the Mega Millions, lottery officials expect future jackpots to soar more frequently along with the sales.

In February the California Lottery Commission voted 3-0 to link the state's lottery to the multistate game. But some legislators have contested the commission's authority to take such action.

Sen. Dean Florez, D-Bakersfield, who unsuccessfully demanded the lottery seek legislative approval for Mega Millions in California, introduced a bill Tuesday that would authorize the game under the voter-approved Lottery Act and increase the lottery's contribution to education.

At the same time, the Senate Rules Committee prepared for confirmation hearings on lottery commissioners Loretta Doon of Belmont and John Mass of Los Angeles, both appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. They supplied two of three votes for Mega Millions participation.

Under a 1984 voter-approved law, a third of all lottery proceeds must go to education.

Rachel Uranga, [phone]

rachel.uranga(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Jessie Hernandez, above, displays Mega Millions lottery tickets Tuesday outside a 7-Eleven in San Fernando. Tuesday's jackpot hit $100 million.

(2) Sabrina Medina, 28, left, pauses at a San Fernando 7-Eleven on Tuesday as she thinks of what she would do with $100 million if she wins the big jackpot.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer