244 million reasons to dream big - J’cans target third highest jackpot ever

Sachel Beckford, 31, is praying that her dead friend would visit her in her dreams at nights to give her the winning lotto numbers.

Beckford told THE STAR that since the lotto jackpot reached $244 million, she hasn't missed a draw.

"From the jackpot a suh high, me buy it every single time," she said. "Me a gah me bed tonight (last night) and me a go dream ... cause last week dem kill one a me fren weh name Jody enuh ... and she love number one," she said. "So tonight before me go my bed, me jus a go seh 'Jody, jus gimmie a dream suh me can win the lotto fi help yuh son'."

She says before Jody died, she used quick print, where the machine generates random numbers. She adds that she buys the lotto for a reason.

"Me wah buy a house ... yuh know right now me affi a pay rent," she said. "Me wah sort out me family dem, me wah buy me mada a house, and me wah start a business."

GENERATING NUMBERS

Like Beckford, many Jamaicans have big plans for the lotto jackpot. As a result, they have to find ways to generate numbers.

Lloyd McDonald, 56, says he uses licence plate numbers to come up with lotto numbers.

"Me woulda buy a big house, a nice car and find a nice girl and married and seckle dung and pray fi live longer," he said.

"Me have bout six ticket," said 43-year-old Edmond Rattigan. "One ticket a one chance, six ticket a six chance."

He says he doesn't have to look far and doesn't stress about coming up with numbers for his six tickets.

"Some a dem a me daughter dem birthday, some a jus a guess and some a quick print," he explained. Cassandra Lee says she also uses her birthday to generate numbers.

"Me use me date of birth in terms of like di month, di date, di year and me yute dem own," she told THE STAR. "Well, da $244 million deh ... fus me a fi buy two nice house fi mi mada and me yute dem, and me a invest di rest."

Nigel Bailey, 40, uses the same method as McDonald.

"Me jus look pon licence plate and jus write six numba man. A luck me a work offa' enuh ... me jus a fi hope and pray," he said.

Wayne Saunders, 58, says he buys the lotto twice per week, and he has caught up to four numbers. He says he has no idea what he would do with the money if he wins.

"Me always seh it, enuh ... if I win, I woulda take a break from everything for a month to decide what I'm going to do with the money," he said.