2 Publix stores in Florida sold winning ticket for billion-dollar Powerball, Mega Millions

Jennifer Sangalang, Florida Today
Updated ·6 min read
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As far as slogans go, "Publix: Where Shopping is a Pleasure" is pretty catchy.

For a select group of lottery winners who bought their tickets from a Publix store, the slogan could be something like, “Publix: Where Shopping Made Me a Millionaire.”

Here's a factoid about the Lakeland-based grocery chain worth bragging about: Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpots have hit $1 billion or more only eight times in U.S. history. Of the two times winning tickets were sold in Florida for those billion-dollar jackpots, both winning tickets came from a Publix.

Both store locations — Melbourne Beach in 2016 and Neptune Beach in 2023 — attracted lots of media attention and trending hashtags on Twitter.

But one organization that won't brag about the billion-dollar lottery wins from the Publix stores? Publix.

Over the years, a significant amount of Florida Lottery money was won through tickets sold at Publix (see below). However, the grocery store chain has a policy not to publicly comment on lottery wins. A notice on its corporate website states: "Publix does not participate in or promote lottery stories. Rather, we offer the lottery as a service to our customers."

The stores that sold the winning prizes don't advertise that fact either. Though there have been signs warning against the use of bicycles, skateboards or inline skates, signs about the store's pet policy and signs requesting unvaccinated customers wear a mask to curb the spread of COVID-19, there are no signs in Publix stores touting big jackpot wins.

Publix did not respond to several USA TODAY Network-Florida inquiries about its lottery story policy.

Here's what we know and what we don't know about Publix and significant Florida Lottery jackpot wins.

$1.586 billion Powerball win: From small town to 'Today' show with Savannah Guthrie to a $6.2 million home

Was there a billion-dollar Mega Millions winner from Publix?

Action News Jax reporter Alexus Cleavenger and other news stations do their reporting from the parking lot at the Neptune Beach Publix at 630 Atlantic Blvd. on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, after a ticket with the winning numbers in the record-breaking Mega Millions lottery jackpot was traced to being sold there. The Florida Lottery said it was the single winning ticket for the $1.58 billion jackpot.

After months of rollovers, the Aug. 8, 2023, Mega Millions drawing climbed to $1.58 billion. The winner — who has not come forward as of Sept. 25 — bought the golden ticket at Publix, 580 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, Florida. Publix received a $100,000 bonus commission. Several drawings had rolled over from April 21 to Aug. 8, leading to the whopping billion-dollar prize, the largest in the history of the game.

According to a Florida Lottery spokeswoman, this Mega Millions series of rollovers "generated more than $73.4 million for education in Florida."

It was the eighth time a Mega Millions or Powerball lottery reached $1 billion (ever) and the third time in 2023 (so far).

What are the odds? 2 in Florida won $1 million (twice!) from same scratch-off in one year

Was there a billion-dollar Powerball winner from Publix?

Powerball was the first lottery game ever to surpass a $1 billion jackpot. Three tickets from California, Tennessee and Florida matched all five numbers plus the Powerball to split a $1.586 billion prize on Jan. 13, 2016.

Soon after the drawing, John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee, claimed their share of the jackpot, according to the Tennessee Lottery.

In 2016, FLORIDA TODAY reported Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt bought their winning Powerball ticket at a Publix in Melbourne Beach. The couple waited until February 2016 to claim their share of the grand prize.

Six months after the drawing, Marvin and Mae Acosta of California claimed their Powerball winnings of $528.8 million, according to the California Lottery.

As of Sept. 25, 2023, the$1.586 billion Powerball prize remains the second-largest lottery jackpot of all time.

Which state had the most billion-dollar winners for Powerball and Mega Millions?

Has anyone won the lottery from Publix?

500X the cash Florida Lottery scratch-off game.
500X the cash Florida Lottery scratch-off game.

As part of its protocol, after a Powerball, Mega Millions or Florida Lottery drawing, the Florida Lottery is quick to disclose where a winning ticket was purchased and whether the lottery retailer received a bonus commission for selling the ticket. There are several press releases on the lottery's site about winning tickets purchased at Publix.

These are recent significant jackpots tied to the grocery chain:

  • A $235.4 million Powerball winner bought his ticket from a Publix in Lutz, Florida. On March 27, 2021, 23-year-old Thomas Yi became the youngest Powerball winner in the history of the game, according to Powerball records, and he opted for a lump-sum payment of $160,038,447. Publix, 16560 N. Nebraska Ave., Lutz, received a $95,000 bonus commission.

  • Two Publix stores in Duval County, Florida, had near back-to-back Mega Millions jackpot wins. On Aug. 8, 2023, the record-setting $1.58 billion Mega Millions drawing produced a winner from the Neptune Beach Publix. On Aug. 15, 2023, a Jacksonville store sold a winning Mega Millions ticket worth $39 million. No one has claimed the $1.58 billion prize as of Sept. 25, 2023.

  • A $25 million scratch-off ticket was purchased at a Fort Myers Publix. Someone from Riverview made the drive to the Publix in Lee County, purchased a 500x the Cash Florida Lottery scratcher, and won the top prize. As of Sept. 25, the Florida Lottery shows the two top prizes of $25 million were both claimed, with the most recent jackpot accounted for on July 21, 2023. The winner's identity has not been revealed by lottery officials − yet. In Florida, lottery winners cannot remain anonymous, per rules. The winner's name, residence, prize amount, where the ticket was purchased from and when are subject to publication. However, there is a grace period for lottery winners to be temporarily exempt from public disclosure.

  • Two $15 million Florida Lottery scratch-off tickets (from different games) were purchased at a Publix in Palm Harbor and a Publix in Punta Gorda. On Aug. 9, 2021, in the Billion Dollar Gold Rush Supreme, Adam Charlton of North Port claimed his prize after purchasing his ticket from Publix, 3941 Tamiami Trail, Unit 3145, Punta Gorda, and opted for a one-time, lump sum payment of $13.2 million, Florida Lottery records show. On Oct. 24, 2022, Doddridge Law Winners Revocable Trust claimed its one-time lump sum of $10,430,000 after purchasing the winning ticket from Publix, 33343 U.S. 19 North, Palm Harbor.

  • In one Florida Lottery scratch-off game, of 156 prizes, 45 of those $1 million winning scratchers were purchased from a Publix in Florida, lottery records show. Since 500x the Cash was launched Feb. 28, 2022, there have been 156 of 160 winners for the $1 million prize, and as of Sept. 25, 2023, 45 of those $50 tickets came from Publix stores across Florida. Four $1 million prizes remain.

Increasing the odds: Are Mega Millions, Powerball or Florida Lottery tickets sold at Publix luckier? No, and here's why

Why does Publix not participate in lottery stories?

According to a notice on its corporate newsroom site, "Publix does not participate in or promote lottery stories. Rather, we offer the lottery as a service to our customers." The Lakeland-based grocery chain does not elaborate as to why, and the company did not respond to multiple inquiries on the topic from the USA TODAY Network-Florida.

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Publix won't comment on Florida Lottery, Powerball, Mega Millions stories