Yes, you read the headline right "Florida man dead after hitting the lottery seven times." God bless this man because before he passed away, he wrote a book on how to increase your chances when playing the lottery. So, where was this man from? According to Florida Today, he was from Orlando. Richard Lustig died a legend with many publications calling him the Luckiest Lottery Winner Ever. I wonder if they have his book for sale here in St. Petersburg. I will have to check my local book stores. So who was Richard Lustig, and when did he start his winning streak? You will find out below.
This Florida Man Is The luckiest Lottery Winner Ever
Getty Royalty FreeRichard Lustig of Orlando was so lucky at playing the lottery that back in 2010 he wrote a book called "Learn How To Increase Your Chances Of Winning The Lottery." According to Florida Today, he had a system that he believed in and wanted to show other people. One of his tips that stood out to me is when he said "Don't buy quick picks." What's crazy is that is all that I buy and it's probably the reason I have not won yet. His other tips are stay consistent when playing, don't change the numbers and understanding the odds. You can get more of his tips by purchasing his book on Amazon HERE.
Florida Man Hit The Lottery Seven Times
In January of 1993, Lustig won $10K from a scratch-off ticket. In August of 1997 he won $13.6K from a Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket. Fast forward to June of 2000, He won $3.5K when he played a scratch-off ticket in Los Angeles. In 2001 he went to visit Memphis and ended up wining $5k when playing a scratch-off ticket. 2002 was Lustig's luckiest year. He won almost $1M when playing Mega Money which is now known as the Mega Millions. He still kept getting lucky because in 2008 he won $73.6K from a Fantasy 5 ticket. His last win before he died was in August of 2010. Lustig won Almost $100K on a Fantasy 5 ticket.
According to reports Lustig's wins amount to a total of $1,052,205.58 before taxes. Sadly in 2018, he died at the age of 67. May he rest in peace!
9 Florida Publix Stores That Have Sold Top Winning Lottery Prizes
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!
