A Florida woman won $5 million, and she wasn't playing Powerball or Mega Millions.
She bought a $20 scratch-off ticket at a gas station. It's not the only big winner this year for scratch-off players.
In
May, one scratch-off player turned a $20 scratch-off ticket bought at Publix into $10 million. Another spent $10 to win $2 million.
➤ Powerball jumps to $467 million. See Oct. 5 numbers
➤ Florida Lottery Powerball, Fantasy 5 results for Oct. 5, 2026
Florida Lottery tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, Walmart and Publix.
Lottery tickets available at Walmart
Here's where the $5 million scratch-off ticket was sold.
Florida Lottery scratch-off ticket worth $5 million sold in Panama City
Mercedes Nunez, 34, of Tampa, claimed a $5 million top prize from the200X The Cashscratch-off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee on June 29.
Nunez chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $2,779,400.
Nunez purchased her winning ticket from Murphy USA, located at 1405 W. 15th St., in Panama City.
The top prize in the game is $5 million, and there are four $5 million prizes remaining, according to the Florida Lottery's website Oct. 6.
About the game:
- Ticket cost: $20
- Odds of winning: 1 in 2.96
Where were other winning $5 million scratch-off tickets sold?
The 200X The Cash scratch-off game has eight $5 million prizes. As of Oct. 5, four of those tickets have been claimed. Here's where each winning ticket was sold:
- Feb. 13: Sold as Raceway in Miami Gardens
- March 27: Tom Thumb in Defuniak Springs
- June 29: Murphy USA in Panama City
- Sept. 8: Publix in Crawfordville
All ticket holders opted for the one-time cash option of $2,779,400.
Why the delay in announcing Florida Lottery winners?
In accordance with Florida Statutes, the names of lottery winners and their city of residence are public record and may be released by the Florida Lottery after 90 days, according to the Florida Lottery.
How long do you have to cash in Florida Lottery ticket?
Prizes for Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days from the date of the drawing.
To claim a single-payment cash option, a winner has the first 60 days after the applicable draw date to claim it.
- Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
- Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
- Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.
You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.
Florida law requires public disclosure of winners
If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:
- Full name
- City of residence
- Game won
- Date won
- Amount won
- Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.
Where can I buy a lottery ticket in Florida? Do Walmart, Publix sell tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores.
Publix sells lottery tickets and is known for selling many winning tickets. Walmart also sells lottery tickets. Whether the Walmart location closest to you sells lottery tickets depends on your state and the store. Many Walmart locations in Florida have self-service lottery ticket vending machines or sell lottery tickets at the customer service desk.
To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.
When are Florida Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
- Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://tcpalm.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida Lottery player turns $20 scratch-off ticket into $5 million
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