LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – You’ve heard the slogan, “Somebody’s got to win. Might as well be you.” But the fact is, you probably won’t win the $800 million dollar Powerball Saturday. But people play anyway. Why? Here’s a psychological reasoning.

“When we get excited about the lottery, or the possibility of this happening it’s the amygdala part of the brain that’s kind of lighting up like a Christmas tree,” says Larry Vaughan, a licensed professional clinical counselor. Vaughan says it’s normal to have these feelings.

“We are social creatures, and so when a group of people get excited about something, it’s really easy to join in,” he says.

But it’s more than just about the excitement Vaughan says. “It’s a way for people to escape.” To escape life’s difficulties, and feel hopeful about the future.

“It’s hopeful, it’s exciting, it’s relieving, it’s distracting. And given what’s going on in our lives in our society, people could use some distraction,” Vaughan says.

“It gives me the kind of hope to make me think I don’t have to work 12 hours a day anymore,” says a player.

And it’s not just mental, Vaughan says, it’s physical. “The decision to buy a lottery ticket, and when you’re actually buying a lottery ticket, there’s a sense of euphoria. That’s neurochemical, which is the same chemical that works when we’re feeling any type of pleasure response,” he says.

“My heart is still pounding, and the drawing is not until tomorrow. I’m just super nervous. I’m just ready. Yeah, I wish it was tonight,” says a player.