One Florida Lotto ticket wins $12 million jackpot

Jun 6, 2005, 8:54 am (6 comments)

Florida Lottery

One lucky Florida resident in the Cape Haze area woke up Sunday morning and realized they now had a few extra dollars available to buy the little things, and maybe even a few big things.

The winning $12 million Florida Lottery ticket was sold at the Publix in Cape Haze, 8725 Placida Road.

The six winning numbers for Saturday's drawing were 09-11-16-22-44-52.

"Unfortunately, no one has come forward, yet," said Nick DiGregorio, the grocery manager at the store.

The store gets a printout which tells them if someone won, and the town where the winning ticket was sold, DiGregorio said.

"It tells you the area, but not the store," he said. "We are very happy and anxious to know who it is."

Word quickly spread that the store had sold the winning ticket and regular customers started the wild speculation on who the new millionaire might be.

"I hope it was someone who needs the money," said Sue Randall, a customer at the Publix who lives in Rotonda West. "If I won, I would go on a very long cruise."

Randall admitted that she failed to buy a lottery ticket for Saturday's drawing.

"I usually only buy one when the jackpot gets up there. At least $50 million. I couldn't live on less," she added with a big grin.

Robert Harvey said he buys $5 worth of tickets every drawing, playing the same numbers every time. He also spend $1 on a computer-drawn number, just in case.

"I could use the money, but more for my family than me," Harvey said. "I am old enough where money doesn't mean as much. I will live a little more comfortably, but I would spoil my grandchildren more."

At 73, he said he guesses he has spent nearly $10,000 in the past 15 years of playing the lottery.

"I win small jackpots enough to want to keep playing," he said. "It is like golf, one good shot and you are good for a few more rounds."

Florida Lottery jackpot winners must claim their winnings within 180 days at the Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. Players should call Winner Validation at (850) 487-7707 for instructions and assistance.

Each lottery jackpot winner has the option of collecting the jackpot in 30 annual installments or in a lump sum, or cash equivalent of the jackpot.

The next Florida Lotto drawing will be held 11 p.m. Wednesday, with an estimated $3 million jackpot.

More than 126,000 other Florida Lotto players also won cash prizes for matching three, four or five numbers.  The prize payouts are as follows:

  • 123 players matched five numbers and each won $3,990.50.
  • 6,255 players matched four numbers and each won $63.50.
  • 120,292 players matched three numbers and each won $4.50.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

CASH Only

FL needs to stress that the cash option expires 60 days from the DRAWING.

Rip Snorter

Likely as not the person who has that ticket is just being foxy, playing it smart.  Making sure the divorce decree is finalized, talking to his attorney figuring out how to get his non-profit foundation set up,  renewing his passport, asking all his unknowing friends and family for loans and favors and tagging and numbering their responses for reference after he makes his claim.

Or maybe he just hasn't been able to get a day off his job down at the Pizza Deliveria.

Jack

LOTTOMIKE's avatarLOTTOMIKE

thats a pretty good chunk of change...

LOTTOMIKE's avatarLOTTOMIKE

maybe in the future florida will get higher jackpots to play for if powerball happens for them.

CASH Only

FL should have higher jackpots with the law just signed by the governor.

LOTTOMIKE's avatarLOTTOMIKE

FL should have higher jackpots with the law just signed by the governor.

i definitely agree on that.

End of comments
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