Florida lottery group wins $1M on scratch-off game, moment captured over Facebook Live
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A lottery group in Florida has claimed their $1 million prize after a group member scratched off the winning ticket during a Facebook Live.
Jacksonville native Elizabeth Williams, 60, joined her friends on the Lucky Lotto Champs Facebook group, which consists of five lottery players, according to the Florida Lottery.
"We're a close-knit group that enjoys putting our money together to play Scratch-Offs," Jackson shared with the agency.
Jackson was seen scratching off the winning ticket during the Facebook group's live video.
"When I scratched the ticket, I couldn't believe it. All I could say was 'O-M-G' over and over," Jackson said.
On April 3, Jackson accepted the $1 million prize from the "$1,000,000 A Year For Life Spectacular" scratch-off game from the Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee, on behalf of her group.
The group decided to claim their winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $640,000.00, the Florida Lottery announced in a press release.
The $50 winning-ticket was purchased from a Jacksonville Publix, located at 7749 Normandy Boulevard.
The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning lottery ticket, shared the media release.
This new "$1,000,000 A Year For Life Spectacular" scratch-off game was launched by the Florida Lottery in February, featuring to two top prizes — $1 million a year for life and 234 prizes of $1 million.
Scratch-Off games made up approximately 77% of the Florida Lottery's tickets sales in the 2021-2022 fiscal year, according to the Florida Lottery.
The Florida Lottery has been active since 1988, and has contributed more than $43 billion in the enhancement of education and has sent over 950,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, according to the press release.
The organization commissions to more than 13,000 lottery retailers, have paid over $85.8 billion in prizes and have made more than 3,500 people millionaires since their founding, the Florida Lottery reported.