One in a billion? 2 Florida Publix stores tied to largest Powerball, Mega Millions prizes
"Publix, where shopping is a pleasure." The iconic catchphrase for the Florida-based grocery chain rang true for not one, but two record-winning lottery winners here.
On Jan. 13, 2016, #MelbourneBeach was trending on social media, and on Aug. 8, 2023, so was #NeptuneBeach, both thanks to a local @Publix. In 2016, David Kaltschmidt and Maureen Smith of Melbourne Beach claimed their share of what was then the largest Powerball jackpot in the history of the game, $1.586 billion. Then, in 2023, a winner from Neptune Beach matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball to win the biggest jackpot in the history of Mega Millions, $1.58 billion.
Is it a little crazy ... or interestingly coincidental ... to think that of the 11 times a lottery jackpot has hit $1 billion or more that two of the winning tickets were purchased at a beachtown Publix in Florida and the prize was at least $1.58 billion?
Read on to find out more similarities and differences of this strange yet fascinating lottery coincidence.
When was the first time a lottery jackpot hit $1 billion? Who won $1.586 billion Powerball on Jan. 13, 2016?
Powerball made history Jan. 11, 2016, the first time a lottery jackpot hit $1 billion. After no one matched all five numbers plus the Powerball in the (Saturday) Jan. 9, 2016, drawing for $949 million, the Monday jackpot soared to $1.4 billion. (No one won that drawing either.) Powerball made history again when three tickets matched all six numbers to win $1.586 billion in the (Wednesday) Jan. 13, 2016, drawing.
The jackpot started Nov. 4, 2015, at $40 million. It had rolled over almost 30 times from Nov. 4, 2015, to Jan. 13, 2016, before three tickets from California, Tennessee and Melbourne Beach, Florida, claimed the $1.586 billion grand prize. In 2016, FLORIDA TODAY reported Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt bought their winning Powerball ticket at a Publix in Melbourne Beach. The store received a $100,000 commission from the Florida Lottery for selling one of the billion-dollar tickets.
As of Aug. 8, 2024, the$1.586 billion Powerball prize remains the third-largest lottery jackpot of all-time.
Melbourne Beach Publix is the only grocery store in that town
Sandwiched between Indialantic and Sebastian, Melbourne Beach is a small town that's part of Florida's Space Coast. Publix, 3830 S. SR A1A, Melbourne Beach, is in the Driftwood Plaza.
Who won $1.58 billion Mega Millions drawing on Aug. 8, 2023?
After months of rollovers, on Aug. 8, 2023, someone was lucky enough to buy a $2 Mega Millions ticket worth $1.58 billion from a Publix in Neptune Beach, Florida. On Sept. 25, the winner claimed the prize, but it was not known whether it was a one-time lump sum or annual payments. The winner has a limited time to claim prizes this large in person at Florida Lottery headquarters and to remain anonymous as it is public record to know the identities of lottery winners in Florida. Lottery lawyers and experts, however, say there are ways to remain anonymous.
Like its sister store in Melbourne Beach, the Neptune Beach Publix also received a $100,000 bonus commission.
As of Aug. 8, 2024, the$1.586 billion Powerball prize remains the third-largest lottery jackpot of all-time and the biggest Mega Millions lottery jackpot in the history of the game.
Neptune Beach’s Publix where the winning Mega Millions ticket was bought is next door to another Publix
Have you ever seen two Publix stores built this close together? In Neptune Beach, the two stores on Atlantic Blvd are about 250ft apart. The store on the left opened Thursday. More tonight at 11pm on @FCN2go #neptunebeach pic.twitter.com/JFFrzO5sUE
— Taylor Levesque (@TLevesqueTV) May 23, 2023
The billion-dollar Mega Millions winner is truly lucky. If the person had bought their ticket just about 250 feet away at the new Publix next door, the day after the lottery drawing would've been $1.58 billion less exciting.
The newer Publix next door was most recently a Lucky’s Market. After closing its doors in 2020 and sitting empty until 2023, it was surprisingly turned into a Publix store – only about 250 feet away from Neptune Beach’s original Publix store.
For those who live in the Jacksonville Beach area near both stores – where shopping is a pleasure – there was likely a source of hometown pride and, possibly, hometown ridicule.
When did lotto jackpots hit $1 billion or more? How many times has Mega Millions and Powerball lottery jackpots reached $2 billion?
As of Aug. 8, 2024, there have been 11 lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only once has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion.
$2.04 billion Powerball prize, Nov. 7, 2022, Edwin Castro of Altadena, California
$1.73 billion Powerball prize, Oct. 11, 2023, Theodorus Struyck of California
$1.586 billion Powerball prize, Jan. 13, 2016, Marvin and Mae Acosta of California, Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida, and John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee
$1.58 billion Mega Millions prize, Aug. 8, 2023, Saltines Holdings LLC of Miami, Florida
$1.537 billion Mega Millions prize, Oct. 23, 2018, won by an anonymous player in South Carolina
$1.348 billion Mega Millions prize, Jan. 13, 2023, LaKoma Island Investments, LLC, with the ticket purchased in Lebanon, Maine
$1.337 billion Mega Millions prize, July 29, 2022, won by an anonymous partnership with a ticket purchased in Des Plaines, Illinois
$1.326 billion Powerball prize, April 6, 2024, Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Chao of Oregon
$1.128 billion Mega Millions prize, March 26, 2024, won by an anonymous winner in New Jersey with the ticket purchased at ShopRite Liquor No. 781 in Neptune Township, New Jersey
$1.08 billion Powerball prize, July 19, 2023, Yanira Alvarez of California
$1.050 billion Mega Millions prize, Jan. 22, 2021, won by the Wolverine FLL Club of Oakland County, Michigan
Where in Florida can you buy Mega Millions and Powerball lottery tickets?
Floridians spend more money on lottery tickets than the average American. Florida ranks in second for the state that spends the most on lottery tickets, right behind New York.
And within The Sunshine States many lottery ticket purchases, most of them were purchased at what some might call Florida’s favorite grocery store.
According to the Florida Lottery, there are 13,000 retailers in the state that can sell Powerball, Mega Millions and Florida Lottery tickets. And of the 13,000 retailers here, two billion-dollar tickets were sold in Florida at a Publix grocery store.
One might call that a "one in a billion" chance.
Lianna Norman covers trending news for USA TODAY Network - Florida. You can reach her at lnorman@pbpost.com. You can follow her reporting on social media @LiannaNorman on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Publix in Melbourne Beach, Neptune Beach tied to biggest jackpots ever
