A 67-year-old man from St. Petersburg, Florida, got an early holiday surprise this year when he won a million dollars on a scratch-off ticket.
The Florida Lottery announced that Albert Pike claimed one of the $1 million top prizes after spending $30 on “THE FASTEST ROAD TO $1,000,000” Scratch-Off game.
Pike chose to take a one-time lump sum payout of $790,000.
Before he won, Pike said he had to make some tough decisions on how to take care of his family financially.
“When I got home and saw the winning numbers, I couldn’t believe it. I knew right then that I wouldn’t have to worry about how to pay for the things we need,” he said.
He purchased his winning ticket at a Publix in South Pasadena.
The retailer will also receive a payout for selling the winning ticket. The South Pasadena Publix will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the lucky scratch-off ticket.