Luck has struck thrice for Kissimmee resident John Schaafsma. The 68-year-old has claimed a $1,000 prize, a colossal $1 million win in August, followed by another $1,000 in November, as detailed by Around Osceola. These wins were part of Florida Lottery's '500X THE CASH' scratch-off game, which currently boasts two $25 million top prizes.

Regarding his biggest windfall, Schaafsma opted for a one-time lump-sum payment, which amounted to $640,000, as outlined in a statement reported by Around Osceola. The victory wasn't just his, as the local K & M Drugs store in the Solivita village community, where Schaafsma purchased his lucky tickets, received a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning scratch-off.

Scratch-off games are nothing short of a gold mine for the Florida Lottery, making up about 74 percent of ticket sales. According to WFTV, those games have awarded over $64.3 billion in prizes and created 2,230 millionaires in the past fiscal year alone.

The '500X THE CASH' game enriches individuals' lives and plays a vital role in supporting Florida's educational aspirations. Scratch-off games have generated more than $19.50 billion for the Education Enhancement Trust Fund, contributed over $47 billion to the state's academic initiatives, and sent more than 983,000 students to college through programs like the Bright Futures Scholarship.