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Lottery ticket worth $1 million sold at a Florida 7-Eleven. Here’s where

A Florida man won a life-changing lottery prize on a scratch-off game he bought from 7-Eleven, officials said.
A Florida man won a life-changing lottery prize on a scratch-off game he bought from 7-Eleven, officials said. Photo by Giorgio Trovato via Unsplash

A Florida lottery player tried their luck on a scratch-off and won big.

Artolino De Castro of Fort Myers came into a $1 million windfall after playing the $1,000,000 a Year for Life Spectacular scratch-off game, according to the Florida Lottery.

He purchased the winning ticket from a 7-Eleven store on Convenience Way in Fort Myers.

De Castro, 48, claimed his winnings at the lottery’s Fort Myers District Office, opting for a lump sum payment of $640,000, the lottery said in an Oct. 11 news release.

The Lee County man beat odds of 1 in 185,709 to win the $1 million prize, according to the Florida Lottery.

Eighty-seven $1 million prizes were still up for grabs in the $1,000,000 a Year for Life Spectacular Scratch-Off game as of Tuesday, Oct. 15. One top prize of $1 million a year for life remained.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published October 15, 2024 at 3:39 PM with the headline "Lottery ticket worth $1 million sold at a Florida 7-Eleven. Here’s where."

Tanasia Kenney
Sun Herald
Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.
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