Man claims $16M Florida Lotto prize

Posted: 5/21/2008 7:40:22 AM

Played new Lotto feature to up his winnings by $10 million

First winner of Lotto Plus feature

A Bradenton, Florida, man Monday stepped forward to claim his winnings for a $16 million lottery ticket.

Charles E. Hill, 56, took the one-time, lump-sum payment of $9,072,011 on the ticket he purchased May 10 at Bud's Mini Mart, 1000 Carlton Arms Blvd., according to a Florida Lottery press release.

Hill purchased a $2 ticket that upped his winnings by $10 million over the $6 million jackpot. He was the first lottery winner in the Lotto Plus jackpot since it was introduced March 2.

"I will continue playing Florida Lotto," Hill said, according to the press release, "But I think I will start buying the $3 Lotto Plus from now on."

The Florida Lotto game offers players three levels of jackpots. A ticket purchaser can choose to pay $1 and be eligible for the posted jackpot, which starts at $3 million and rolls over to the next drawing if no one matches all six of the winning numbers.

A Lotto player also can purchase a $2 ticket and add $10 million to the jackpot if the six numbers are picked, or play the $3 ticket and have $25 million added to the winnings.

Hill is the fifth Florida Lotto winner to purchase a winning ticket in Manatee County since the game started in 1988 and the 938th overall.

Jay Patel, owner of Bud's Mini Mart, will receive $20,000 for selling the winning ticket.

"I saw him the other day, and he didn't say anything to me," Patel said. "But a co-worker came into the store before that and said Chuck had quit his job."

Hill worked at Southern Comfort Heating and Cooling, 410 22nd St. E., said Service Manager Paula Dodd.

"This is a fabulous thing for him," Dodd said. "We all wish him luck."

She said Hill was a gentleman and very kind to his co-workers and customers.

"He is very dependable and always on time," Dodd said. "We'll miss him very much."

Patel said he remembers selling the ticket to Hill.

"It's all coming together now," said Patel, who did not know about Hill claiming the prize until contacted Monday morning by the Bradenton Herald.

Hill chose to take the lump sum option, but he could have spilt his winnings into part lump sum and part annuity because he bought a Lotto Plus ticket, said Florida Lottery spokeswoman Jennifer Greene.

"The winnings come out of two different prize pools," Green said. "It's good because if your not as responsible as you thought you were and go through your winnings, you still have a regular income from the annuity."

Although Hill often purchases Quick Pick tickets, where the computer picks the numbers, this time he chose his own numbers, he told Florida Lottery officials.

The winning numbers were 11-15-22-23-25-42.

The next Florida Lotto drawing will be held at 11 p.m. Wednesday and has a $9 million jackpot for a $1 ticket.

• Florida Lottery Results
• Florida Lottery - official site
• Play Florida Lotto Online

Source: Bradenton Herald