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?
Here are the bonus commissions retailers and stores get for selling jackpot-winning tickets, according to Florida Lottery:
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.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: These Publix stores sold Powerball, Mega Millions tickets worth about $1 billion
Reporting by Ashley Ferrer, Jennifer Sangalang and Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
