Palm Beach County started the year on a serious hot streak, with two local residents quietly snagging separate $2 million Florida Lottery scratch-off prizes in January. The wins were pushed back into the spotlight in mid‑May after the state lottery released photos and local media rolled out a fresh winner gallery. Walkens Talabert, 56, of Boca Raton, and Lekisha Epps, 33, of Pahokee, each claimed $2 million top prizes and chose one-time lump-sum payouts, while Miami player Alejandro Morales also claimed a $2 million scratch-off prize that month. Their cash-option decisions left them with upfront payouts ranging from roughly $1.11 million to $1.19 million.
What the winners claimed
According to CBS12, Talabert claimed a $2 million top prize on January 5 from the Double Diamond Cashword scratch-off and opted for a one-time cash payment of $1,189,600 after buying his ticket at a Publix on State Road 7 in Boca Raton. The same report notes that Alejandro Morales of Miami claimed a $2 million Monopoly Secret Vault top prize that day and chose a $1,153,865 lump sum after purchasing his ticket at a Winn‑Dixie on Southwest 40th Street. CBS12 also reports that Lekisha Epps of Pahokee claimed a $2 million prize on January 20 from the 100X The Cash game and took a $1,111,700 lump-sum payout.
Retailers get a bonus
The winning streak did not just pay off for players. Retailers that sell winning scratch-off tickets are eligible for bonus commissions from the state, calculated at $2,000 for every $1,000,000 in prize value, which means stores that sell $2 million winners can qualify for about $4,000. The bonus is issued only after a prize is officially claimed, and the details of that program are laid out in the Florida Administrative Code.
Claim rules, privacy and taxes
The Florida Lottery's Winner’s Guide explains that scratch-off prizes greater than $1 million must be claimed at Lottery headquarters, and winners have 60 days to elect the cash option for games that offer one. The guide also outlines federal tax withholding requirements on large prizes and notes that winners of $250,000 or more are shielded from public disclosure for 90 days under state law, giving them a short window of privacy before their windfall becomes public record.
Small windfalls, big attention
Big local wins tend to mean a quick burst of fame for the retailers involved and a brief wave of attention for the winning towns. That dynamic played out on the Treasure Coast when a Vero Beach Publix sold a $10 million Mega Millions ticket in March, drawing the kind of buzz that Palm Beach County shops are now enjoying after their own multimillion-dollar moments.
