Shawandra Nichols, a 48-year-old woman from Clearwater, won a $1 million prize from the Florida Lottery. During a visit to a local Walmart at 1803 North Highland Avenue, Nichols decided to play the $1,000,000 a Year for Life Spectacular game and won one of the top prizes. According to the WFLA, she chose a lump-sum payment of $640,000 before taxes.
It's part of a trend in Florida where this scratch-off game has made several people significantly richer in less than a week. As reported by CBS12 News, three other winners have also claimed their $1 million prize from the same game recently. The odds of winning a prize are 1 in 4.5, which is pretty good for those feeling lucky.
The Walmart store that sold the ticket also benefits, receiving a $2,000 bonus commission, as confirmed by Tampa Free Press. Scratch-off games are a significant source of revenue for the Florida Lottery, accounting for about 74% of ticket sales and generating over $19.24 billion for the state's Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. With over $63.1 billion awarded in prizes, it's clear that Floridians enjoy trying their luck with scratch-offs.
