These Publix stores sold Powerball and Mega Millions tickets that together are worth almost $1 billion

​Some grocery trips end with bread and milk. A few very lucky ones end with almost $1 billion. Over the years, a handful of Publix stores in Florida and Georgia have sold Powerball and Mega Millions tickets that turned into life-changing wins. With the next Powerball jackpot now reaching $1.1 billion, many people are wondering if Publix will be lucky again.

Publix stores in Florida that sold huge winning tickets

Publix is a well-loved grocery chain in Florida, and surprisingly, two billion-dollar lottery wins have come from its stores.

The $1.586 Billion Powerball Winner

In January 2016, a couple from Melbourne Beach bought a ticket at a Publix store and ended up winning part of the $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot. At the time, this was the biggest jackpot in Powerball history. They shared the prize with winners in Tennessee and California.

The $1.58 Billion Mega Millions Winner

In August 2023, another Publix in Neptune Beach sold a Mega Millions ticket worth $1.58 billion, the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever. The winner claimed the prize through a group named Saltines Holdings LLC.

A Georgia Publix slso sold a huge ticket

Publix stores outside Florida have had luck too. In November 2025, a Publix in Newnan, Georgia sold a Mega Millions ticket worth $983 million after final sales were counted. The winner has not yet come forward but has 180 days to claim the prize.

Why Publix seems so lucky

There are more than 13,000 places in Florida where people can buy lottery tickets, yet Publix often comes out on top. In 2024, Publix sold more winning Florida Lottery tickets than any other retailer for almost the entire year.

What stores earn for selling big winning tickets

Stores also get a reward when they sell a jackpot-winning ticket. For example:

• Powerball and Mega Millions stores can receive up to $100,000 as a bonus.
• They also earn a 5.75% commission on ticket sales.

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These bonuses give stores even more reason to stay part of the lottery system.

Will there be another Publix billionaire?

With the upcoming $1.1 billion Powerball drawing, many people are buying tickets from Publix in hopes that lightning might strike again. The store already has a strong history of selling some of the biggest winning tickets in the country.

For now, all anyone can do is buy a ticket, wait for the drawing, and daydream a little during that regular grocery run.