Florida adds another millionaire to its list of lottery winners. A Mega Millions ticket, sold at a Publix in Daytona Beach, was awarded $3 million after matching all five main numbers in the winning combination and activating the Megaplier feature.
The winning ticket and combination
The ticket, purchased at the store located at 2630 LPGA Boulevard, managed to match the main numbers 7, 12, 30, 40 and 69. However, it did not match the Mega Ball (17), an essential requirement to obtain the jackpot.
Under normal circumstances, a ticket with five matches without the Mega Ball awards $3 million. In this case, the player had chosen the Megaplier option, which tripled the base prize, bringing it to $XNUMX million.
The draw and the impact on the community
The drawing took place Tuesday night, and although there was no grand prize winner, the news generated great excitement in the Daytona Beach area. The Publix supermarket chain, one of the most popular places to purchase lottery tickets in Florida, will also receive financial compensation for selling the winning ticket, in addition to recognition from local customers.
Florida: A lucky state in lotteries
Florida is considered one of the luckiest states for gambling. In recent years, it has hosted multiple multimillion-dollar prize winners in both Mega Millions and Powerball, which this week boasts a $950 million jackpot.
- In 2023, a Neptune Beach player won a $1,58 billion prize, the largest Mega Millions jackpot to date.
- In 2024, several state residents won secondary prizes exceeding $10 million in various categories.
- In 2025, the trend continues, with several million-dollar tickets sold in different counties.
Mega Millions is one of the most popular lottery games in the United States, and Florida has become one of its busiest venues since the state joined the interstate system in 2013. With multimillion-dollar drawings generating excitement on every corner, thousands of residents participate twice a week in the hopes of changing their lives overnight.
How to play
The basic ticket costs $2. Each participant must select five numbers from 1 to 70 and one additional number from 1 to 25, known as the Mega Ball. To win the grand prize, all six numbers must be matched.
Prizes and odds
The game offers nine prize tiers, ranging from $2 for matching just the Mega Ball to jackpots exceeding $20 million.
The odds reflect the magnitude of the challenge: while the chance of winning the top prize is 1 in 302 million, the chance of winning any prize is 1 in 24.
How the Megaplier Works
The Megaplier is an additional option that players can purchase for an extra dollar. This multiplier allows the value of secondary prizes to be increased by two to five times, depending on the number drawn. In this case, the number drawn was 3, which tripled the lucky winner's winnings.
Weekly drawings
Mega Millions drawings are held twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 p.m. ET in Atlanta, Georgia. Results are immediately disseminated through the Florida Lottery's official website, as well as through local and national media.
Rules for collecting in Florida
In the Sunshine State, prizes of up to $600 can be claimed at any authorized retailer. Larger amounts must be processed at Lottery district offices or directly at Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee.
The deadline to claim a prize is 180 days from the drawing date. For the grand prize, winners must choose between receiving it in 30 annual installments or as a single cash payment, albeit in a smaller amount than the announced total.
Expectations for the next draw
Although the grand prize remained unsuccessful, the Mega Millions jackpot continues to roll over for the next drawing, scheduled for Friday night. Experts estimate it could exceed $200 million, further attracting players' attention.
More than luck: a social contribution
In addition to the millionaire dreams it inspires, the Mega Millions also serves a social purpose. A portion of ticket sales in Florida go to fund public education programs, benefiting the state's schools and universities.
Background and social relevance
The Florida lottery not only represents a windfall for those who win, but also provides important revenue for state programs. A portion of the proceeds goes to public education, meaning every ticket sold contributes to funding schools and universities in the state.
This new $3 million jackpot confirms Florida as one of the epicenters of luck in the United States. While Daytona Beach residents celebrate the news, thousands of players across the country await the next drawing in the hopes of becoming the next millionaire.
