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Florida winners claim Powerball and $803 million Mega Millions prizes
Sarasota Herald-Tribune • • business
Key Points:
- A Wawa gas station in Bradenton, Florida, sold the winning ticket for the $803 million Mega Millions jackpot drawn on July 28, 2026; the winner opted for a $344.2 million cash payout before taxes.
- Florida has experienced multiple significant lottery wins within a month, including a $6 million Florida Lotto jackpot claimed in Lakeland and several $1 million second-tier Powerball prizes from tickets purchased in Florida.
- A $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot drawn on August 12, 2026, was won by a ticket purchased in Quincy, Illinois, while a Florida ticket from Fort Myers won a $1 million prize in the same drawing.
- Florida law requires lottery winners' information to be public, but winners of prizes $250,000 or greater can temporarily withhold their names from disclosure for 90 days after claiming their prize.
- Several Florida lottery winners have chosen lump sum cash options for their prizes, and retailers selling winning tickets receive commissions on the sales.
