Six lucky Fantasy 5 players across Florida walked away a lot happier after Saturday’s midday and evening drawings, thanks to tickets sold at a handful of busy neighborhood stores. Four winning slips came from Publix registers, with the other two sold at a Cumberland Farms and a Miami-area supermarket. Each top-prize ticket is worth a solid mid–five figure payout, and winners now have to navigate the Florida Lottery’s claim process before any checks are cut.
Where the winning tickets were sold
According to the Miami Herald, the six top-prize tickets were spread across the state: four at different Publix locations, one at a Cumberland Farms in Laurel Hill and another at Bravo Meat & Fish Supermarket in Miami Gardens. The Herald’s breakdown lists each store’s address and notes a mix of quick-pick and regular plays among the winners. One midday win even came from a free-ticket promotion, proving that the no-cost play can occasionally pay off in a big way.
Numbers and payouts
The Florida Lottery reports that the midday winning numbers were 4, 8, 14, 15 and 28, while the evening draw landed on 2, 10, 16, 18 and 28. Based on the official payout figures, each evening top-prize ticket is worth about $24,208, and each midday top-prize ticket comes in at roughly $19,901. Players are urged to double-check their slips against the official results or scan them at an authorized retailer so they do not accidentally toss a winner.
How to claim
For prizes above $600, winners have to do more than just wave a ticket at the cashier. They must sign the ticket, fill out a Winner Claim Form and show valid identification at a Florida Lottery district office, the Miami Herald notes. Local offices include the Miami district office at 14621 Oak Lane in Miami Lakes and the Palm Beach district office at 4360 Forest Hill Blvd. in Palm Springs, which generally operate on weekdays during regular business hours. The Herald also stresses the basics that veteran players already know by heart: sign the back of the winning ticket immediately and hold on to the original while the Lottery verifies the claim.
Publix's hot streak, explained
Publix has been popping up again and again in recent Fantasy 5 winner lists, a trend that looks impressive but is mostly a numbers game. The chain sells a huge volume of tickets, so it naturally ends up with more winners in circulation. Hoodline has tracked multiple recent examples of Publix stores producing Fantasy 5 top-prize tickets, and the Florida Lottery points out that prize amounts depend on total sales and how many tickets hit the winning numbers. When more tickets are sold, the odds go up that one of those familiar green-and-white checkout lines will be home to a big score.
If you think you might be holding one of the winning slips, sign the back, stash it somewhere safe and contact your local Lottery district office to get the claim process rolling. The state gives winners time to file, but Lottery officials still recommend moving promptly so the paperwork and validation do not drag on longer than your lucky streak.
