Lottery News

A man hailing from Florida wins $1 million in Florida Lottery after some other customers cut him to get ahead in the line to buy lottery tickets.

The lucky winner, Stephen Munoz Espinoza, 43, had a really rough day and was looking out for a bit of luck when it seemed that there was just one more person or thing getting up his way, but his luck changed for the better.

Munoz Espinoza completed his day by visiting the Publix grocery store on Northeast 5th Avenue in Delray Beach. He just wanted to buy his lottery tickets and get on with his life, but someone else decided they needed their tickets first.

"It had been a long day, and I was tired," Munoz Espinoza explained to the Lottery. "I came to a halt in front of Publix and was about to purchase a ticket from the machine when a man cut in front of me. Instead of saying anything, I decided to buy a ticket at the counter."

The Delray Beach resident approached the counter and chose a ticket from the $50 "500X The Cash" scratch-off game, which will be available in February 2022 and has a top prize of $25 million.

It was a million-dollar decision to move over to the counter and abandon the machine. Munoz Espinoza walked away with one of the $1 million prizes from the game.

"I can't believe I won a million dollars!" exclaimed the lucky winner.

For selling the winning ticket, Publix will receive a $2,000 bonus commission.

The "500X The Cash" game has the largest top prize ever offered on a Florida scratch-off game, at $25 million, as well as the best odds to become a millionaire, according to the Lottery.

Munoz Espinoza went to Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee to claim his $1 million prize as a one-time lump sum payment of $820,000, and he and his wife plan to use the money to buy a home for their family.

As of now, one of the two original top prizes of $25 million is still available in the $50 "500X The Cash" game. Following this win, there are 42 out of 160 second-tier $1 million prizes and 77 out of 300 third-tier $50,000 prizes still available.

Overall, the chances of winning any prize in this lottery are 1 in 4.5. 

If you also wish to make some lotto money living in Florida, simply check The Lottery Lab’s - How To Win The Florida Lottery page and boost your chances of becoming a millionaire!