These Publix stores sold Powerball, Mega Millions tickets worth about $1 billion
Publix sold Powerball, Mega Millions tickets nearing $1 billion or more in Neptune Beach and Melbourne Beach, Florida, and Newnan, Georgia. Was it your grocery store?
Who is Edwin Castro? Biggest Powerball winner ever won $2.04 billion
Edwin Castro of California, biggest lottery winner in history, claimed $2.04 billion Powerball on Feb. 14, 2023. Joe’s Service Center sold the ticket.
- On Nov. 14, 2025, 2 tickets in Texas and Missouri won $983 million Mega Millions prize. A month later, Powerball climbed to $1.1 billion for Dec. 15, 2025, drawing.
- Florida grocery chain Publix sold 2 winning lottery tickets worth over $1 billion. $983 million Mega Millions ticket came from a Publix in Georgia.
- In 2024, Publix sold more winning Florida Lottery tickets than any other retailer for 11 consecutive months.
- Retailers in Florida receive a bonus commission for selling jackpot-winning tickets, which can reach up to $100,000.
A trip to the grocery store resulted in $1 billion — just about three times.
Will there be a lucky No. 4?
The sixth largest jackpot in Powerball history and the 12th largest in Powerball and Mega Millions history – $1.1 billion with an estimated cash value of $503.4 million – is up for grabs Monday, Dec. 15, 2025.
Of the 14 times a Powerball or Mega Millions lottery jackpot has ever reached $1 billion, Publix, the iconic Florida grocery store based in Lakeland, sold two of those winning tickets. And in November, a Publix in Georgia sold a $980 million Mega Millions ticket in the Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, drawing. Final sales pushed that total to $983 million.
There are more than 13,000 retailers in Florida that are authorized to sell lottery tickets, according to the Florida Lottery. In 2024, Publix sold more winning Florida Lottery tickets than any other retailer 11 months in a row.
Which Florida Publix stores sold winning Powerball, Mega Millions lottery tickets worth $1 billion?
In a Jan. 13, 2016, drawing, three tickets purchased in California, Florida and Tennessee won the largest Powerball jackpot ever at the time, splitting the $1.586 billion. David Kaltschmidt and Maureen Smith bought their winning Powerball ticket at a Publix in Melbourne Beach, Florida. The couple waited until February 2016 to claim their share of the grand prize.
Then, in August 2023, someone bought a Mega Millions ticket worth $1.58 billion from a Publix in Neptune Beach, Florida, matching all five numbers plus the Mega Ball to secure the biggest jackpot in the history of Mega Millions. On Sept. 25, 2023, the winner — Saltines Holdings LLC of Miami, Florida — claimed the prize.
Which Publix store sold the $980 million Mega Millions ticket in Newnan, Georgia?
A lucky player had millions of dollars to be thankful for after winning $980 million, just under $1 billion, in the Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, Mega Millions drawing. One more rollover would have made it the 14th-ever billion-dollar lottery drawing in U.S. history.
But after months of rollovers, Publix, 4000 N. Highway 29, Newnan, Georgia, sold the only ticket that matched five numbers plus the Mega Ball to one lucky winner. The one-time lump sum would be about $452.2 million, according to the Georgia Lottery.
As of Dec. 14, 2025, the $983 million Mega Millions lottery winner has not publicly come forward. Said winner has 180 days from the date of the drawing to do so. Otherwise, that trip to Publix for a near billion-dollar lottery jackpot win will be all for naught.
When are Powerball lottery drawings?
Powerball drawings are at 10:59 p.m. ET every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, including holidays.
When are Mega Millions lottery drawings?
Mega Millions drawings are at 11 p.m. ET every Tuesday and Friday, including holidays.
How much does a store get for selling a winning lottery ticket in Florida?
Florida Lottery: How much do you know about its history?
How much do you know about the Florida Lottery? Here are things to know and a timeline of key events throughout the years.
Oscar Santiago Torres, Tallahassee Democrat
Here are the bonus commissions retailers and stores get for selling jackpot-winning tickets, according to Florida Lottery:
- Florida Lotto: Starts at $10,000 and increases by $5,000 with each rollover, up to $100,000.
- Powerball: Starts at $20,000 and increases by $5,000 with each rollover, up to $100,000. With Power Play, the retailer receives an additional $20,000.
- Mega Millions: Starts at $20,000 and increases by $5,000 with each rollover, up to $100,000. With Megaplier, the retailer receives an additional $20,000.
- Jackpot Triple Play: $1,000. With Combo, the retailer receives an additional $1,000.
- Cash4Life: $10,000.
Retailers get a 5.75 percent commission on all Florida Lottery ticket sales, including draws and scratch-offs.
What are the largest Mega Millions, Powerball lottery jackpots ever won?
As of Dec. 14, 2025, there have been 14 lottery jackpots won that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only once has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion. These are the biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history.
- $2.04 billion Powerball prize, Nov. 7, 2022, Edwin Castro of Altadena, California
- $1.79 billion Powerball prize, Sept. 6, 2025, tickets purchased in St. Louis, Missouri, and Fredericksburg, Texas
- $1.73 billion Powerball prize, Oct. 11, 2023, Theodorus Struyck of California (ticket purchased at Midway Market in California)
- $1.586 billion Powerball prize, Jan. 13, 2016, Marvin and Mae Acosta of California, Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida, and John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee
- $1.58 billion Mega Millions prize, Aug. 8, 2023, Saltines Holdings LLC of Miami, Florida
- $1.537 billion Mega Millions prize, Oct. 23, 2018, won by an anonymous player in South Carolina
- $1.348 billion Mega Millions prize, Jan. 13, 2023, LaKoma Island Investments, LLC, with the ticket purchased in Lebanon, Maine
- $1.337 billion Mega Millions prize, July 29, 2022, won by an anonymous partnership with a ticket purchased in Des Plaines, Illinois
- $1.326 billion Powerball prize, April 6, 2024, Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Chao of Oregon
- $1.269 billion Mega Millions, Dec. 27, 2024, Rosemary Casarotti of California
- $1.128 billion Mega Millions prize, March 26, 2024, won by an anonymous winner in New Jersey with the ticket purchased at ShopRite Liquor No. 781 in Neptune Township, New Jersey
- $1.1 billion Powerball prize, Dec. 15, 2025? TBD
- $1.08 billion Powerball prize, July 19, 2023, Yanira Alvarez of California
- $1.050 billion Mega Millions prize, Jan. 22, 2021, won by the Wolverine FLL Club of Oakland County, Michigan
This content is sourced from www.news-press.com and is shared for informational purposes only.
