Three Florida lottery players are sitting on a small fortune and may not even know it yet. Friday night’s Fantasy 5 evening drawing produced three top-prize tickets, sold at a Lakeland Publix, a BJ’s Wholesale Club liquor store in the Miami-Dade area and a quick-pick machine at a St. Cloud Citgo. Each ticket is worth about $38,663, and state records show all three prizes are still unclaimed. The same night’s Jackpot Triple Play and Mega Millions drawings also came and went without a jackpot winner.
Where the winning tickets were sold
According to the Florida Lottery, the three unclaimed Fantasy 5 top-prize tickets for the July 10 evening drawing were purchased at a BJ’s Wholesale Club liquor store in west Kendall, a Publix in Lakeland and a St. Cloud Citgo via a quick-pick machine. The lottery’s top-prize file lists each payout at exactly $38,663.30.
Winning numbers and other draws
The Fantasy 5 evening numbers were 6, 11, 15, 20 and 33, as reported by the Miami Herald. Nobody matched all six numbers in Jackpot Triple Play, and the Mega Millions jackpot also rolled over on Friday night. The Mega Millions annuitized jackpot estimate for the upcoming Tuesday drawing is about $637 million, according to the Maryland Lottery.
How winners can claim prizes
Florida Lottery rules give draw-game winners 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes, and amounts from $600 to $1 million can be claimed in person at district offices either by walk-in or appointment, per the Winner’s Guide from the Florida Lottery. Claimants must sign the back of their ticket, bring valid identification and complete a Winner Claim Form. For Miami-Dade winners, the Miami district office that serves the area is listed at 14621 Oak Ln. in Miami Lakes and can be contacted by email or phone to set up an appointment, according to online listings such as Waze.
What this means for stores
For the retailers, having a top-prize ticket sold at their location is a quiet kind of jackpot of its own. Supermarkets and convenience stores regularly appear on the state’s list of top-prize sellers, and a single big win can send curious players and loyal regulars through the doors. Local coverage has repeatedly spotlighted Publix locations tied to recent Fantasy 5 wins, according to Local 10, and lottery officials continue to remind winners to sign and secure their tickets before heading in to claim their cash.
