One in a billion? 2 Florida Publix stores tied to largest Powerball, Mega Millions prizes ever

Lianna Norman and Jennifer Sangalang, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Updated ·5 min read
2

"Publix, where shopping is a pleasure." The iconic catchphrase for the Florida-based grocery chain rang true for not one, but two record-winning lottery winners here.

On Jan. 13, 2016, #MelbourneBeach was trending on social media, and on Aug. 8, 2023, so was #NeptuneBeach, both thanks to a local @Publix. In 2016, David Kaltschmidt and Maureen Smith of Melbourne Beach claimed their share of what was then the largest Powerball jackpot in the history of the game, $1.586 billion. Then, in 2023, a winner from Neptune Beach matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball to win the biggest jackpot in the history of Mega Millions, $1.58 billion.

Is it a little crazy ... or interestingly coincidental ... to think that of the nine times a lottery jackpot has hit $1 billion or more that two of the winning tickets were purchased at a beachtown Publix in Florida and the prize was at least $1.58 billion?

Read on to find out more similarities and differences of this strange yet fascinating lottery coincidence.

When was the first time a lottery jackpot hit $1 billion? Who won $1.586 billion Powerball on Jan. 13, 2016?

Powerball made history Jan. 11, 2016, the first time a lottery jackpot hit $1 billion. After no one matched all five numbers plus the Powerball in the (Saturday) Jan. 9, 2016, drawing for $949 million, the Monday jackpot soared to $1.4 billion. (No one won that drawing either.) Powerball made history again when three tickets matched all six numbers to win $1.586 billion in the (Wednesday) Jan. 13, 2016, drawing.

The jackpot started Nov. 4, 2015, at $40 million. It had rolled over almost 30 times from Nov. 4, 2015, to Jan. 13, 2016, before three tickets from California, Tennessee and Melbourne Beach, Florida, claimed the $1.586 billion grand prize. In 2016, FLORIDA TODAY reported Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt bought their winning Powerball ticket at a Publix in Melbourne Beach. The store received a $100,000 commission from the Florida Lottery for selling one of the billion-dollar tickets.

As of Dec. 5, 2023, the$1.586 billion Powerball prize remains the third-largest lottery jackpot of all-time.

Melbourne Beach Publix is the only grocery store in that town

Sandwiched between Indialantic and Sebastian, Melbourne Beach is a small town that's part of Florida's Space Coast. Publix, 3830 S. SR A1A, Melbourne Beach, is in the Driftwood Plaza.

Who won $1.58 billion Mega Millions drawing on Aug. 8, 2023?

Shopper Laurie Stucki talks with a reporter on her way into the Publix that sold the winning Mega Millions lottery ticket Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. The single winning ticket for the $1.58 billion record jackpot was sold at the 630 Atlantic Blvd. store in Neptune Beach.
Shopper Laurie Stucki talks with a reporter on her way into the Publix that sold the winning Mega Millions lottery ticket Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. The single winning ticket for the $1.58 billion record jackpot was sold at the 630 Atlantic Blvd. store in Neptune Beach.

After months of rollovers, on Aug. 8, 2023, someone was lucky enough to buy a $2 Mega Millions ticket worth $1.58 billion from a Publix in Neptune Beach, Florida. On Sept. 25, the winner claimed the prize, but it was not known whether it was a one-time lump sum or annual payments. The winner has a limited time to claim prizes this large in person at Florida Lottery headquarters and to remain anonymous as it is public record to know the identities of lottery winners in Florida. Lottery lawyers and experts, however, say there are ways to remain anonymous.

Like its sister store in Melbourne Beach, the Neptune Beach Publix also received a $100,000 bonus commission.

Neptune Beach’s Publix where the winning Mega Millions ticket was bought is next door to another Publix

The billion-dollar Mega Millions winner is truly lucky. If the person had bought their ticket just about 250 feet away at the new Publix next door, the day after the lottery drawing would've been $1.58 billion less exciting.

The newer Publix next door was most recently a Lucky’s Market. After closing its doors in 2020 and sitting empty until 2023, it was surprisingly turned into a Publix store – only about 250 feet away from Neptune Beach’s original Publix store.

For those who live in the Jacksonville Beach area near both stores – where shopping is a pleasure – there was likely a source of hometown pride and, possibly, hometown ridicule.

When did lotto jackpots hit $1 billion or more?

As of Dec. 5, 2023, there have been nine lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only once has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion.

Where in Florida can you buy Mega Millions and Powerball lottery tickets?

Floridians spend more money on lottery tickets than the average American. Florida ranks in second for the state that spends the most on lottery tickets, right behind New York.

And within The Sunshine States many lottery ticket purchases, most of them were purchased at what some might call Florida’s favorite grocery store.

According to the Florida Lottery, there are 13,000 retailers in the state that can sell Powerball, Mega Millions and Florida Lottery tickets. And of the 13,000 retailers here, two billion-dollar tickets were sold in Florida at a Publix grocery store.

One might call that a "one in a billion" chance.

Lianna Norman covers trending news for USA TODAY Network - Florida. She was raised in Jacksonville Beach and is a proud alumni of Fletcher High School — the Pride of the Beaches. Go Senators! You can reach her at [email protected]. You can follow her reporting on social media @LiannaNorman on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Publix in Melbourne Beach, Neptune Beach part of biggest jackpots in history

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