A free Quick Pick spit out by a North Miami-Dade gas station terminal has turned into a $60,133.80 Fantasy 5 payday, making it the lone top-prize hit among the weekend's major Florida Lottery draws. The ticket cost the player nothing out of pocket and, according to the latest state records, still has not been claimed.
The Florida Lottery's official winners list shows that the midday Fantasy 5 top prize came from a free Quick Pick printed at Punjab Mobil Mart, 9497 NW 7th Ave. in North Miami-Dade and lists the win at $60,133.80, according to Florida Lottery. The same entry in the state file marks the play as a free Quick Pick and flags the prize as unclaimed in the most recent update.
How The Free Ticket Paid Off
In Fantasy 5, matching two of the five drawn numbers earns a small consolation prize in the form of a free Quick Pick for a future drawing. It is not glamorous, but every so often that automatic do-over pays serious dividends.
When a player hits the two-number mark, "the gaming terminal will automatically print a free Quick Pick ticket for the next available drawing," according to Florida Lottery. With midday and evening drawings every day, that extra shot at the numbers can occasionally turn a throwaway bonus into a five-figure score, as this North Miami-Dade winner just proved.
Where To Claim The Prize
A Fantasy 5 payout of this size has to be claimed at a Florida Lottery district office rather than at a neighborhood retailer. For Miami-Dade players, the relevant stop is the Miami district office at 14621 Oak Ln., Miami Lakes, which is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments are available, but walk-ins are also accepted, and the office can be reached at 305-364-3080 or [email protected], according to Miami Herald.
What Else To Watch
This winning Fantasy 5 midday ticket was the only major-draw top prize tied to a Florida ticket on Saturday. Powerball, meanwhile, kept rolling with no jackpot winner, pushing the estimated top prize to $478 million for the upcoming Monday drawing. National trackers pegged the next Powerball annuity at about $478 million, reflecting continued rollovers in the multistate game, according to Lotto.net.
For now, the $60,133.80 Quick Pick remains unclaimed and will only be validated and paid once the winning ticket is presented at the district office.
