Winning Lottery Ticket Worth $1M Almost Discarded by Florida Woman

florida lottery machines
The Toidi / Shutterstock.com

Winning the lottery is a dream. And for one Florida Woman, that lottery dream almost became a nightmare. Almost! 

Jill Rowell, a 52-year-old woman from Grand Ridge, Florida, almost threw away a scratch-off lottery ticket worth a million dollars. The ticket was purchased from a Super Snead’s gas station and convenience store in Sneads, Florida for $50.

The Florida Lottery issued a press release stating that Rowell planned to discard the ticket before a bystander suggested that she should double-check it.

Thankfully, Rowell followed the advice and discovered that she had won the million-dollar prize. It’s a good thing she didn’t toss the ticket away!

“I scanned the ticket at the machine, and you could say it was definitely a ‘spectacular’ surprise,” she said, in a statement. “I drove straight here and yes, I want a picture.”

On Monday, March 6, Rowell visited the Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee to collect her prize money and a novelty check, as shown in a photo from the lottery board. The Super Snead’s convenience store where she purchased the winning ticket is located on Highway 90, about an hour’s drive away from Tallahassee.

In February 2023, the Florida Lottery launched a new scratch-off game that gave players a chance to win big. The game offered two payout options: $1 million annually for the rest of the winner’s life or a one-time lump sum payment of $1 million. This was an exciting development for lottery enthusiasts in Florida, who eagerly bought tickets in hopes of winning the jackpot.

One lucky winner was Rowell, who had the difficult task of deciding which payout option to choose. Ultimately, she opted for the lump sum payment, which meant she would receive a one-time payment of $1 million, minus taxes.

According to the Florida Lottery, Rowell walked away with $640,000 after taxes, which is still a life-changing sum of money.

The store that sold Rowell the winning ticket was Super Snead’s, which was thrilled to learn that it had sold the winning scratch-off. As a reward for its role in the sale, the store received a $2,000 bonus commission from the Florida Lottery. This was a significant boost for the store’s revenue, and it also helped to generate buzz and excitement around the scratch-off game.

Overall, the launch of the new scratch-off game was a huge success for the Florida Lottery. It provided players with a new and exciting way to play and win, and it generated significant revenue for the state.

Rowell’s win was just one example of how the game changed people’s lives, and Super Snead’s commission was a testament to the game’s popularity and success.

Author
C. James

C. James is the managing editor at Wealth Gang. He has a degree in finance and a passion for creating passive income streams and wealth management.