A woman decided to buy a $20 scratch-off lottery ticket during a trip to a grocery store in Florida.
She ended up winning an enormous jackpot prize.
Gerry Collins won a $5 million top prize with a ticket in The Perfect Gift game, which she bought at the Publix Super Market at Peachland Promenade in Port Charlotte, the Florida Lottery announced April 8.
The Charlotte County woman beat the 1-in-3 million odds of winning one of four top prizes in the game, which debuted in October, according to lottery records. Two $5 million prizes remain.
She claimed her prize at a Florida Lottery office in Fort Myers as a one-time lump sum of $2,989,062, officials said.
The Publix received a $10,000 bonus for selling the lucky ticket.
Port Charlotte is about a 35-mile drive northwest from Fort Myers.
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.
