A quick grocery run in Sebring just turned into a six-figure story. A ticket sold at a local Publix was Florida's only big-money Fantasy 5 evening draw winner on Wednesday, matching all five numbers and paying out $118,824 to one very lucky shopper.
The win continues a spring streak of mid six-figure Fantasy 5 payouts landing in Florida supermarkets, where lottery hopes are apparently as common as buy-one-get-one specials.
According to the Miami Herald, the winning numbers were 5, 23, 29, 31 and 33. The ticket was sold at the Sebring Publix on U.S. 27 South. As the Herald notes, the prize will not be paid out until the winner completes official validation with the Florida Lottery.
How To Claim The Prize
Florida Lottery rules require draw-game prizes of $600 or more to be claimed at a district office. Winners have 180 days from the draw date to file a claim, per the Lottery's Winner’s Guide.
The Lottery's office directory lists the Tampa district office at Centerpoint Business Park, 1911 US Highway 301 North, Suite 170 - phone 813-744-6134 - with weekday hours and an option to schedule an appointment, according to the agency's office directory.
Publix Keeps Turning Up On Winner Lists
Local coverage has repeatedly flagged Publix registers as the point of purchase for recent Fantasy 5 top prizes, a trend that has not gone unnoticed by neighborhood outlets. Reports such as Harbor Shops Publix shopper snags jackpot say the chain's massive sales footprint means its stores are simply more likely to show up on winner lists, even if the wins still feel like lightning strikes to customers and clerks.
If you think you have the winning ticket, step one is simple: sign the back immediately. Then use a retailer's self-check scanner to confirm the win, and call the Lottery to schedule an appointment and complete the required forms.
Winners are also urged to line up financial and legal advisers before finalizing any payout and to review tax implications and documentation requirements laid out by the state. A six-figure surprise at the grocery store can be a life-changing moment, as long as you handle the fine print as carefully as the ticket itself.
