Primitivo Antonio Batista, 61, of Clermont has cashed in big, claiming a $21.5 million Florida Lotto jackpot from the Feb. 4, 2026 drawing and choosing the game's one-time cash option of $11,750,158.50. His Quick Pick ticket matched all six numbers in that drawing, which reset the Florida Lotto pot to its minimum for subsequent draws. Not bad for a randomly generated play.
Where the winning ticket was sold
The Florida Lottery's official winners list ties the prize to BJ's Wholesale Club #199 Liquors at 2577 S. Highway 27 in Clermont and records the cash-option payout under the winner's name, according to Florida Lottery. Local reporting also identified the purchase as a Quick Pick, meaning the numbers were terminal-generated, as noted by Local10.
When he claimed it
Regional coverage reports that Batista filed his claim at the Florida Lottery's Orlando District Office. USA Today noted that the 61-year-old claimed the prize on Feb. 9, just five days after the Feb. 4 drawing, and elected the one-time lump-sum payment.
What the win means for education
The Florida Lotto has long doubled as both a game and a funding engine for state education. Since the game's start in 1988, more than $11 billion in prizes have been awarded and over $8.6 billion has gone to the state's Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, the Lottery reports. The agency also notes that the game has created more than 1,100 millionaires, highlighting how often large payouts move through neighborhood retailers and supermarkets, according to Florida Lottery.
A quick reminder for players
Big pots keep drawing attention, and a $29.25 million Florida Lotto ticket sold at a Boca Raton Publix in late May grabbed statewide headlines. Winners have a limited window to claim prizes, and coverage from the jaw-dropping $29.25 million ticket story and other local outlets lays out where to check numbers and how to claim if you find a winning slip in an old wallet or purse.
