A Panama City man has claimed his lottery winnings after scratching his way to a $1 million prize, Florida Lottery officials said.
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A trip to a local seafood market ended with a lottery player winning a life-changing prize in Florida.
Russell Golden won $1 million in the 500X The Cash scratch-off game, the Florida Lottery said Nov. 4. He bought his ticket at Captain Hai’s Fresh Seafood Market & Convenience Store in Panama City, lottery officials said.
The Bay County man visited lottery headquarters in Tallahassee to claim his winnings as a one-time sum of $640,000, according to the Florida Lottery.
With his $50 ticket, Golden beat the 1-in-274,004 odds of winning a second-tier prize in the game, lottery records show.
Captain Hai’s received a $2,000 bonus for selling the ticket.
Panama City is on the coast in the Florida Panhandle, about a 100-mile drive southwest from Tallahassee.
Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
Olivia Lloyd is an Associate Editor/Reporter for the Coral Springs News, the Pembroke Pines News and the Miramar News. She graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Previously, she has worked for Hearst DevHub, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and McClatchy’s Real Time Team.
