One lucky Mega Millions player in Plantation turned a routine liquor store stop into a multimillion-dollar payday on Friday, after a quick-pick ticket matched five white balls and hit a built-in 4X multiplier for a $4 million score. The windfall landed in a drawing where nobody nailed the jackpot, so the top prize kept climbing into the next round. The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday.
According to the Associated Press, no ticket matched all six numbers in Friday’s drawing. The winning white balls were 8, 19, 26, 38 and 42, and the Mega Ball was 24. With no jackpot winner, the top prize rolled forward to Tuesday’s drawing.
Lottery officials told WPLG Local 10 that the lucky quick-pick ticket was sold at Liquor & Wine Merchant at 8369 W. Sunrise Blvd. in Plantation. Matching the five white balls alone normally lands the second-tier $1 million prize, but the 4X multiplier on this play pushed the payout to $4 million.
How a 4X Multiplier Turned $1 Million Into $4 Million
The Mega Millions game now includes a random multiplier on each play that can boost non-jackpot prizes by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X. The base second-tier prize for matching the five white balls is $1 million, so a 4X multiplier turns that into a $4 million payday. The details are laid out in the official prize matrix from Mega Millions.
Retailer Bonus and Claiming Rules
Under the Florida Lottery’s retailer bonus rules, stores that sell a ticket matching 5+0 receive a $1,000 bonus through the state’s Retailer Bonus Commission program, according to the Florida Lottery. The Florida Lottery also notes that Mega Millions draw-game prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing and that prizes greater than $1,000,000 are processed at Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee; see the Florida Lottery for full rules and game details.
Plantation is no stranger to big wins. In September 2024, a ticket sold at a local Publix matched the five white balls and paid $1 million, according to Plantation Publix $1 million win. Neighborhood retailers that sell major winning tickets usually snag a small bonus and a brief burst of local fame.
If you suspect you are holding the winning ticket, lottery officials advise signing the back immediately, storing it in a safe place and having it validated at a lottery retailer. Before making any public announcements, the Florida Lottery recommends contacting its claims office to go over next steps and potential tax implications.
