Sarasota man scores $1 million prize on Florida Lottery scratch-off ticket

A Sarasota man is nearly $1 million richer after he scored a major prize on a Florida Lottery scratch-off game.

Michael Gasek, 55, bought his winning “500X the Cash” ticket at the Fruitville Texaco gas station at 19 East Road in Sarasota, off of Fruitville Road, the Florida Lottery said in a news release Monday.

The “500x the Cash” game launched in February 2022 and costs $50 a play. The Sarasota resident claimed the 118th of 160 prizes worth $1 million.

He chose to take the winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $820,000.

The game launched with two top prizes worth $25 million, of which one remains.

Overall odds of winning something on the scratch-off game are 1 in 4.5, while odds of Gasek’s $1 million draw are 1 in 267,739. Odds of winning a top prize are 1 in 21,419,145.

The Texaco that sold the ticket will earn a $2,000 bonus commission, the Florida Lottery said.

“The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $43 billion to enhance education and sending more than 950,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program,” the lottery said in its release. “Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $85.1 billion in prizes and made more than 3,500 people millionaires.”

Southwest Florida lotto players have been on a lucky streak since last year.

In December, a Bradenton woman scored a $2 million scratch-off prize, and a Palmetto woman won $1 million.