A new millionaire bought Saturday's winning Florida Lotto ticket at a Pensacola gas station.
It's the first time a winning ticket has been purchased at the Albertsons Express gas station near the intersection of Nine Mile and Pine Forest roads.
But unfortunately for the fortunate Quick Pick (computer generated) ticket holder, he or she will split Saturday's estimated $40 million jackpot with two other people who bought winning tickets in Miami and Royal Palm Beach, according to a Florida Lottery press release. That is, if any of the ticket holders didn't chip in with others to buy mass amounts of lottery tickets.
Word that one of the winning tickets was bought at their store was news Sunday to Albertsons employees and customers.
"I hope it's one of our regulars," said Kaitrinia Daw, a store clerk who sold 416 lottery tickets to one person Saturday at the gas station. "We know all of the people really into it."
On Saturday alone, Albertsons Express sold $1,863.50 in all types of lottery tickets, which is about three times the normal amount, Daw said. For the week, the store sold 4,251 Lotto tickets, she said.
As news spread among customers Sunday, some checked their tickets from Saturday's drawing but came up empty. Others pondered aloud what they'd do if they won the big one.
"I'd probably kill myself partying," said Oscar Green, 55, of Pensacola. "I wouldn't last six months."
Still other customers bought tickets for Wednesday's estimated $3 million jackpot, hoping that lightning and luck would strike the same place twice in as many Lotto drawings.
"Oh yeah, it could happen," said Bridget Byrd, 20, of Cantonment. "That'd be fine by me."
Since the Lotto began in 1988, Escambia County has produced 28 Lotto winners, and Santa Rosa has had three. The Groovin Noovin's near Albertsons Express has sold three winning tickets with jackpots as high as $27 million.
Saturday's winning numbers were 01-04-08-12-45-48. Lotto winners have 180 days from the drawing to claim their prizes.
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