A quick $20 stop at a Lake Park convenience store turned into a seven-figure surprise for a North Palm Beach man after he claimed a $1 million top prize from the Florida Lottery's $1,000,000 HOLIDAY CA$H scratch-off. Matthew James Fox, 53, picked up his winnings at Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee on Dec. 1 and chose a one-time lump-sum payment. The winning ticket was purchased at Village Grocery in Lake Park.
Official claim and payout
According to the Florida Lottery winning-ticket report, Fox opted for the cash option of $606,700 when he finalized his claim. The official file lists his hometown as North Palm Beach and identifies the retailer as Village Grocery at 9271 Prosperity Farms Road in Lake Park.
Odds, remaining top prizes and where this game stands
The $20 HOLIDAY CA$H ticket offers overall odds of about 1-in-2.68 of winning any prize, while the odds of hitting the $1 million top prize are roughly 1-in-2,130,188. WPTV also notes that the game is designed with multiple prize opportunities on a single ticket. Tracking data from ScratchSmarter indicates the game originally included four $1 million top prizes and that one top prize remains unclaimed.
How the win helps Florida schools
As the Florida Lottery points out, the agency has contributed more than $49 billion to education and has helped over 1 million students through the Bright Futures scholarship program. Scratch-off games account for roughly 74 percent of ticket sales, so instant-win options like HOLIDAY CA$H are a major source of funding for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.
Where the ticket was sold
The winning ticket was sold at Village Grocery, 9271 Prosperity Farms Road in Lake Park, a small retailer that could see a bump in foot traffic after being linked to a million-dollar win. West Orlando News notes that the Lottery pays commissions and bonuses to its roster of retailers, so the shop that sells a big winner typically receives a modest one-time benefit too.
Fox's claim is the latest major payout from the HOLIDAY CA$H family of tickets and it leaves at least one $1 million top prize still in circulation. Winners who have questions about claiming procedures are advised to contact the Florida Lottery claims office in Tallahassee for details on documentation and next steps.
