2 Pasco, Tampa Residents Collect $1 Million A Year For Life In Lottery

TAMPA, FL — Tampa Bay residents who think they don't stand of chance of winning the Florida Lottery might want to check out these recent big winners from Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

On Wednesday, the Florida Lottery announced that Kiet Tran, 53, of Tampa claimed a $1 million prize from the $1,000,000 a Year for Life Spectacular scratch-off game at the Lottery's Tampa District Office. Tran purchased his winning ticket from Active Food Mart at 1401 W Waters Ave. in Tampa.

This news followed Sunday's win by San Antonio resident Maurice Ennis, 61, who also claimed a $1 million prize from the $1,000,000 a Year for Life scratch-off game at Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. Ennis purchased his winning ticket from Jiffy Food and Deli at 32951 College Ave. in San Antonio.

Also purchasing a winning ticket in the $1,000,000 a Year for Life Spectacular on Sept. 28 was Connie Mallette, 67, of Land O' Lakes, who claimed her prize at the Lottery's Tampa District Office. Mallette purchased her winning ticket from CJ Marketplace at 4204 Land O' Lakes Blvd. in Land O' Lakes.

All three winners chose to receive their winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $640,000.

Additionally, all three retailers selling the scratch-off tickets received a $2,000 bonus commission for selling a winning ticket.

The $50 scratch-off game launched in February and features two top prizes of $1 million a year for life and 234 prizes of $1 million. This game also features more than $1.6 billion in cash prizes. The game's overall odds of winning are 1-in-4.50.

Scratch-off games comprised approximately 72 percent of ticket sales in fiscal year 2022-2023.

Since their inception, scratch-off games have generated more than $18.09 billion for the Florida Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.

The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $45 billion to enhance education and send more than 983,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.

The Florida Lottery reinvests 99 percent of its revenue back into Florida's economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,500 lottery retailers and transfers to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $89 billion in prizes and made more than 3,700 people millionaires.