Lottery tickets selling, even at $50 each

DETROIT, May 9 (UPI) -- Officials in Michigan predict tickets for their $50 Super Raffle will sell out despite being the most costly U.S. lottery tickets in history.

With a pair of $2 million top prizes available through the new raffle system, state lottery officials were not afraid Wednesday that the pricey tickets would be completely sold out by day's end, The Detroit News reported.

"They're selling at a blistering rate and this is another great success," Michigan Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters said.

"On Monday, they sold at a rate of about 8,000 an hour," he added. "It was a bit slower Tuesday."

Peters credits the sales success on the increased odds of the historic raffle and the $100,000 that another lucky 25 winners will receive after the June 18 drawing.

"We are the first in the history of the U.S. lottery to offer a $50 raffle ticket," he told the newspaper. "We knew that despite the cost, it would sell. The odds of winning a $2 million prize are 1 in 125,000. These are probably the best odds you'll ever see."