If you're a Florida Lottery player in Pasco County, you might be my new best friend. Someone bought a winning ticket worth $45 MILLION.
Details on the Winning Ticket...
The winning ticket was purchased at Coastal Wine & Liquor on Highway 19 in New Port Richey. One lucky Florida Lotto player got all 6 numbers right last night. The numbers drawn were 7, 12, 15, 18, 25 and 53. We don't know anything about the winner yet. The prize hasn't been claimed yet according to the Florida Lottery website. But what we DO know is that this was not a quick pick. Someone chose these specific numbers so if they look familiar to you, today might be the best day of your life.
This is the first big winner in the Florida Lotto game since August of 2023. And the $45 million winning jackpot prize the lucky Pasco player won is the biggest in the game's history.
Same Game, But The Money Went Down the Drain...
Recently a winning Florida Lotto ticket from last year expired, costing whoever bought it a loss of $44 million! The ticket was purchased in Kissimmee last summer at a Sunoco Express gas station. Nobody ever claimed the jackpot. That one WAS a quick pick so you have to wonder if the player ever even knew they won.
Hopefully that doesn't happen to the Pasco player who just won $45 million. They have 180 days to claim their prize. They can get their winnings in 30 annual payments. Or they can take a one-time lump sum payment. It'll mean a huge tax hit if they do, but I'm sure they'll manage.
Who couldn't use an extra million dollars these days? It's a running joke that Florida has some of the best odds when it comes to playing the lottery. It goes even further when you realize how many Publix stores sell top-winning lottery prizes. Obviously, it couldn't be any more than a coincidence but we decided to deep-dive into some of the top winning prizes sold in Publix stores. A few are even in the Tampa Bay area!
A lot of games in this list still have top prizes available! So if you're feeling lucky head to your nearest Publix to grab a ticket. It's important to know all the scratch-off games that have top prizes available. That way you won't waste your money or time. You can always check on the Florida Lottery website.
With any lottery win, the store that sells the winning ticket receives a bonus. We can only imagine how much Publix has been rewarded over the years. Other common stores that we noticed sell a lot of winning tickets are 7-Eleven, Circle K, and Winn Dixie. Maybe spread your luck and buy a ticket from each store.
It's been said by experts that if you win the lottery keep your mouth shut. This depends on how much money you end up winning. But if you're lucky enough to win a top prize, it's recommended to surround yourself with lawyers and financial advisors. If you're quick to broadcast your winnings, you could put your life in danger.
What would you spend your winnings on if you ever won a top prize? We bet a lot of people would pay off their debt or credit card bills. We wouldn't recommend blowing it on an expensive car or fancy house, because eventually the money will run out and you'll be stuck paying way more in taxes/maintenance.
Here are 9 Florida Publix stores that have sold top winning lottery prizes (Updated Feb. 2024)
St. Petersburg - Publix #1321
Location: 3030 54TH AVENUE SOUTH, SAINT PETERSBURG
This winner played the $1,000,000 For Life Spectacle. They chose the cash option and took home $640,000. Only 1 top prize is still available for this game!
Crystal River -Publix #0797
Location: 6760 W GULF TO LAKE HIGHWAY, CRYSTAL RIVER
This winner took home $640,000 at a Crystal River location. They played the 500X The Cash (#1555) scratch off. The Florida Lottery website says there's only 7 top prizes available for this amount!
Sarasota - Publix ##696
Location: 6543 S TAMIAMI TRAIL, SARASOTA
This lucky person played the $5MM Triple Match (#1543) for $20 and won $1,000,000. 4 out of 8 top prizes remaining for this game.
Brandon - Publix #0103
Location: 11782 MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD, SEFFNER
The winner for this prize won the $1MM Triple Match game (#1546) and opted for the cash payout of $640,000. No more top prizes remain from this game.
Seminole - Publix #1320
Location: 7880 113TH STREET, SEMINOLE
This lucky winner from Seminole played the $20 Monopoly Doubler (#1513) won $5 million and took home $$798,985 after taxes! Only 1 top prize remains for this game!
Panama City - Publix #481
Location: 650 W 23RD STREET, PANAMA CITY
This winner is $100,000 richer after playing the Hit and Win! game for $5. You can still find 5 out of 10 top prizes available!
Boynton Beach - Publix #1405
Location: 501 SE 18TH AVENUE, BOYNTON BEACH
This winner from Brandon won $10,000 after spending $1 on the Florida 10X The Cash scratch-off. Only 4 out of 12 top prizes remain!
Palmetto - Publix #1342
Location: 1101 8TH AVENUE WEST, PALMETTO
Shopping at Publix help this person win $1,000,000. After choosing the lump sum in cash, they received $795,000.. Only 2 prizes remain for the Gold Rush Limited scratch off game.
The Villages - Publix #1741
Location: 2135 EVERGLADES LANE, THE VILLAGES
This lucky person turned $10 into $500 by playing the $500 Wild Cash Bonanza game at Publix. There are over 12,000 remaining prizes for this game so you might be next!
