Someone in hurricane-hit Fort Myers bought a winning Florida lottery ticket worth $247M
After all that the Fort Myers area and Southwest Florida have been through after Hurricane Ian hit as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 28, someone winning the Florida lottery there would be most welcome.
Apparently, this has happened. And it’s a big one.
The winners will split a $494 million jackpot, so each share is $247 million.
According to the Florida Lottery, one of two Mega Millions winning tickets from Friday night’s drawing was purchased at the 7-Eleven on 2980 Colonial Blvd. in Fort Myers. The other winning ticket was sold in California.
READ MORE: Fort Myers Beach residents return to ravaged island
The Oct. 14 Mega Millions winning numbers were 09, 22, 26, 41 and 44 and the Mega Ball was 19. The 7-Eleven receives a $100,000 bonus commission for selling the jackpot-winning ticket.
According to the Florida Lottery, as of Oct. 18, no one has stepped forward to claim the winnings — which if taken as one lump-sum cash payment, would be $123.95 million.
According to the Fort Myers News-Press, the 7-Eleven has been owned by Anil and Mona Rawal since 2008.
Mona Rawal told the news outlet that the money will be going to someone who “greatly deserves it,” and a “needed change” for whoever bought that winning ticket.
The Miami Herald could not reach anyone at the 7-Eleven on Tuesday to find out more details and the condition of the store.
“While we are always thrilled for all our winners, this win feels slightly more meaningful than others since the winning ticket was purchased in Fort Myers, an area that is still undergoing restoration efforts due to the impact from Hurricane Ian several weeks ago,” Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis said in a statement.
Florida Lottery declined to release the date that the winning ticket was sold to determine whether the ticket’s winning numbers were bought before or after Ian.
“Unfortunately, the Florida Lottery is unable to provide that information. The time of purchase is kept confidential for use in the event of a disputed ticket or questioned ownership,” a spokesperson with the communication’s office said in an email response.
You can purchase Mega Millions Advance Play tickets for up to 26 consecutive drawings – or 13 weeks, a spokesperson said.
A 7-Eleven spokesperson told NBC News, “We couldn’t be happier that these extra lucky customers won in 7-Eleven stores in Fort Myers, Florida, and San Jose, California.”
Winners have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim the prize, but if they want the money in a lump-sum cash payment, they have 60 days to announce their intentions.
