St. Lucie County Woman Wins $5 Million Florida Lottery Scratch-Off Prize

A lucky woman from St. Lucie County is celebrating a life-changing payday after winning the $5 million top prize from a Florida Lottery scratch-off ticket.

The Florida Lottery announced that Maria Duran, 57, claimed the grand prize from the $5,000,000 CROSSWORD CASH Scratch-Off game on April 6. She decided to take her winnings as a one-time lump-sum payment of $3,262,138.

Duran purchased her lucky ticket at PK 2 Quick Mart, located at 4101 Okeechobee Road in Fort Pierce. According to lottery officials, her prize was the largest scratch-off jackpot claimed in Florida during April.

Other Big Florida Lottery Winners in April

Maria Duran wasn't the only player to strike it rich. Several other Florida residents also walked away with major prizes during April:

• Rose Simmons, 67, of Winter Haven, claimed a $2 million top prize from the 100X THE CASH Scratch-Off game on April 20. She chose a lump-sum payout of $1,111,700 after buying her winning ticket at a 7-Eleven on Recker Highway in Winter Haven.
• Tatyana Ashe, 27, of Apopka, won $1 million from the AMERICA 250 FLORIDA Scratch-Off game on April 1. Despite the date, it was no April Fool's joke. She accepted a lump-sum payment of $606,600, and her winning ticket was purchased at a Wawa on East Colonial Drive in Orlando.

Mega Millions Jackpot Keeps Growing

While these winners are already enjoying their newfound wealth, lottery players across Florida still have a shot at another huge prize.

The Mega Millions jackpot for Friday, July 17, has climbed to an estimated $672 million, with a cash option of $293.3 million. The jackpot continued to grow after no ticket matched all six winning numbers in the previous drawing.

The next drawing is scheduled for 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, July 17, giving players another opportunity to chase one of the biggest jackpots of the year.

Florida Lottery Winner Information

Florida law requires the Florida Lottery to make winners' names and cities of residence public. However, this information may be released only 90 days after the prize is claimed, providing winners with a short period of privacy before their identities become public.