MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Lottery announced Tuesday that a man from Miami Gardens has won a whopping $15 million while playing a Gold Rush Special Edition scratch-off game.
Lazaro Acosta, 64, opted to receive a one-time, lump-sum payment of $10,440,000.
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Lottery officials said Acosta purchased the winning ticket at a Publix store located at 11750 Southwest 104th Street in Miami.
Publix will receive a $30,000 bonus commission for selling the winning scratch-off ticket.
Lottery officials said Acosta used a secured drop box at Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee to turn in his winning ticket.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Florida Lottery offices have been closed to the public, however people can submit their winning tickets in a secured drop box at any district office or they can mail their tickets to the Florida Lottery.
All claim deadlines have been extended by 90 days.
The Gold Rush Special Edition game launched in February 2019 and features six top prizes of $15 million – the largest scratch-off top prize offered by the Florida Lottery. The game also offers 24 prizes of $1 million.
About 69 percent of Florida Lottery ticket sales come from scratch-off games, which generated more than $965 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund in fiscal year 2018-19.