One lucky South Georgia player just turned a scratch-off into a life-changing payday, snagging the $5 million top prize on the Jumbo Bucks Extravaganza ticket, according to state lottery officials. The winning ticket was sold at OM Food Mart in Nahunta, in Brantley County, and the winner claimed the prize on Feb. 23, opting for the annuity payment plan. It is one of several eye-popping wins reported across Georgia this week.
In a press release, the Georgia Lottery confirmed the jackpot, while FOX 5 Atlanta reported that players collectively took home $44,428,811 in scratcher prizes last week. The station also highlighted a Thomaston resident who hit a $291,164 Fantasy 5 jackpot on March 1 and a Williamson ticket sold at Royal 77 Food Mart that matched four white balls plus the Powerball for $100,000, along with a flurry of other five-figure payouts in Fayetteville, McDonough and Atlanta.
Where the ticket was sold
OM Food Mart, located on Main Street in Nahunta, is suddenly the talk of the town after selling the multimillion-dollar winner. Local reporting shows the store faced citations from lottery investigators in April 2025 related to coin-operated amusement machines and related violations, according to The Blackshear Times, a reminder that in small towns, lottery retailers and regulators often know each other well.
How winners claim large prizes
Prizes over $601 must be claimed at Georgia Lottery headquarters or district offices, and the Lottery offers detailed instructions and appointment scheduling online. The Georgia Lottery notes that instant-ticket prizes generally expire 90 days after the game’s end date, that prizes over $500,000 are typically paid within 5 to 10 business days, and that federal and state tax withholdings apply to prizes above $5,000.
For now, Nahunta residents are likely buzzing about the store’s sudden streak of luck and the winner’s massive windfall while the claim works its way through the system. If you have a Jumbo Bucks Extravaganza ticket sitting in your wallet or glove compartment, sign the back, check your numbers carefully and keep in mind that big payouts move quickly through the Lottery’s claims process.
