By Nick Sortal
Six of our fellow South Floridians got lucky in January — they all became millionaires playing the lottery.
And that's twice as many big wins as we usually have. Last year about 2.5 winners a month came from Palm Beach, Broward or Miami-Dade counties.
January's newly minted millionaires were: a $12 million Lotto winner in Tamarac, a $3 million scratch-off winner in Miami Beach, a $2 million Mega Money winner in Miami and a $1 million scratch-off winner in Greenacres. Two others are millionaires over time: One scratch-off player won $2,500 a week for life and another won $1,000 a week.
But they aren't the only South Floridians in the money. We've also had two $500,000 winners: a Lauderhill woman who played Monopoly scratch-off and a Miami woman hitting Mega Money.
So why the sudden fortunes? One reason is a switch in games played, said Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O'Connell. Florida Lotto and Powerball used to attract about 80 percent of South Floridians' lottery spending, she said. Now scratch-offs are evenly split with Florida Lotto and Powerball. Scratch-off games don't often yield multimillion dollar jackpots, but the odds of hitting $1 million are better.
"As a result, we are seeing more winners, increased sales for South Florida businesses and more revenue for the state's education system," O'Connell said.
So what does a numbers guy make of our good luck? Jason Gershman, an associate professor of mathematics and statistics at Nova Southeastern University, agrees that six millionaires in a month certainly falls outside the norm.
But he cautions against concepts such as "hot streak" in random events, such as lotteries.
"A 'hot streak' such as this would be an illusion since true hot streaks don't occur mathematically," Gershman said. "No one area or one point of sale would be any hotter or colder than any other.
"There's no mathematical guarantee that more prizes will be paid out over the next few weeks and no mathematical guarantee that fewer prizes will be paid out [to compensate for the recent wins]."
Last year, the entire state produced 100 millionaires: 49 for Powerball, 28 scratch-offs, 10 Mega Money, seven Florida Lotto and six Mega Millions winners. About 30 of them were from Broward, Palm Beach or Miami-Dade counties.
Powerball has not had a South Florida winner since 2012. And Mega Millions, which launched here in May, has yet to yield the top jackpot to a Floridian.
The state keeps 50 percent of ticket sales from Powerball and Florida Lotto. In scratch-offs, players win 70 percent and 30 percent goes to the state. Statewide, scratch-off sales account for about 57 percent of all lottery sales.
Way to start the new year. Congrats to all.
Congratulation to all the winners.....
I hope to be one in February. This is why I tell people to support their state lottery instead of only chasing Powerball and Mega Millions.
I knew that I should have moved to Florida!
I hear ya Poly but your day is coming soon! Hang in there brother! I know you want to move to Vero Beach! I'm going to either Orlando, Miami or Vero.
Congrats to all. I hope to be one soon too.
6 within 30 days of the new year.....SWWWWWWEEEET.....and just in 1 state
Hope all they naysayers are reading and paying attention. You, that focus on the odds can continue to do so, on the other hand, I will look at all the potential and be happy that I have as good of a chance in my state as they did in theirs.
Gotta like it.
Hope we have an LP'er who wins big, soon !
That is a great way to start the new year, Congrats to all the winners.
Their profits will be huge this year. It takes alot of players to get 6 winners.
I bet most of 'em were bought at Publix.
I'm gonna make a pilgrimage to the one way out in Knoxville one of these days.
Then I'll win for sure.
It's a lock.
Not a bad idea sir, wasnt that old lady who won in FLORIDA who won the biggest PB jackpot bought hers at a Publix??
Florida now has 7 millionaires in the month of January. Last night Florida had the only 5+0 winner in Mega Millions.
Wonder how Pennsylvania compares anyone know?
Yep, and a lot more Floridelphians have won large prizes with tickets bought at Publix stores.
It's almost like a guaranteed jackpot when you buy a ticket there.
It's a nice chain of food stores though.
In fact, I was thinking about test-marketing my Gourmet Squirrel Dip there and contacted them about it a couple years or so ago.
I told them about the big extravaganza I have all planned out for the regional debut with balloons and a squirrel petting cage and free samples and everything.
They said they were real busy and they'd have to get back to me on that later sometime.
So they're probably still real busy right now.
You're marketing strategy is slightly off. If you rename it to Gator dip without telling them what's in it, you may have a potential best seller.
I see they had another two winners.
Last night Florida added 2 more millionaires. February is off to a good start.
I mentioned this thread on P.a lotteries facebook page and asked them how many millionaires did they make, they said 10 in January. Hmmm.....
Florida had a 5+0 Powerball winner last night. So far Powerball has made 3 lucky players millionaires this month.
2 Lucky Florida players won $1 million in Powerball last night. Sp far Florida has made 5 people millionaires this month.
That's awesome thanks for posting the info
All these lucky individuals who won $1 million prizes are only "millionaires" in the eyes of the media. In reality they come up short several hundred thousand dollars after the mob Government gets their cut.
Most lottery winners in the U.S needs to win a prize that has a cash value of at least $1.7 million in order to net a million dollars. In most other countries, the advertised prize is what the winner gets...no taxes, no annuity option and no B.S.
Taxes are a pain.
1 lucky player from Florida matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize. 6 millionaires so far in Ferbruary.
Probably some ole geezer who lives in a trailor and went to Publix to get his cat some food, saw that prunes and metamucil were on sale, spent the extra on a lottery ticket !!!! Now look, he can update to a doublewide and get an extra cat.
I know, I know, I am in trouble for that one, but I couldn't resist
Florida did not win the $400 million Powerball jackpot, but 2 lucky players matched 5+0 for $1,000,000 bringing the millionaire total to 8 for the month of February. Surpassing the 7 millionaires for January.
Another $2 million dollar winner this week in Texas !!!! soooooo HA
I did'nt know Fla lotto had a race car in the Daytona. Dave Blaney and the No. 7 Florida Lottery Chevrolet SS team will return from Daytona International Speedway feeling like a winner after a 17th-place finish in the Great American Race.
DEERFIELD BEACH MAN CLAIMS $1.3 MILLION MEGA MONEY™ JACKPOT
TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Lottery announces that Monroe Bostic, Jr., 59, of Deerfield Beach, claimed the February 18, 2014, MEGA MONEY™ jackpot of $1.3 million at Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee. He chose the one-time, lump-sum payment option for his winnings, in the amount of $990,652.65.
ALABAMA MAN WINS $3 MILLION GOLD RUSH TRIPLER SCRATCH-OFF PRIZE
TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Lottery announces that Marcus Knowles, 36, of Atmore, Alabama, claimed a $3 million prize in the GOLD RUSH TRIPLER Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.
FLORIDA CITY MAN WINS $5 MILLION PLAYING 100X THE CASH SCRATCH-OFF GAME
TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Lottery announces that Larry Rogers, 58, of Florida City, claimed a $5 million top prize in the 100X THE CASH Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee. Rogers chose to receive the winnings in a one-time, lump-sum payment of $3,483,318.
*Florida Lottery has been on a roll this month.