Get All Access for $5/mo

Man Gets Cut In Line at Publix And Ends Up Winning $1 Million On A Lottery Ticket A Delray Beach, Florida man scored a winning scratch-off ticket this week after he was cut off in line at a ticket machine.

By Emily Rella

Getty Images

Sometimes a minor inconvenience might result in the biggest stroke of luck.

Stephen Munoz Espinoza from Delray Beach, Florida won $1 million in a scratch-off ticket this week after he was cut in line at the lottery vending machine in a Publix store.

"It was the end of a long day, and I was tired. I stopped at Publix and was about to buy a ticket at the machine when a man cut right in front of me," he explained to the Florida Lottery. "Instead of saying something, I decided I'd just buy a ticket at the counter instead. I can't believe I won a million dollars!"

The Publix in question was located at 555 Northeast 5th Avenue in Delray Beach — having four number "5's" in a row at the address, it's safe to say this location was destined for some good fortune.

The 5th Ave Publix will receive a $2,000 lump sum as a reward for selling the winning numbers.

Espinoza chose the option to receive the taxed prize as an $820,000 one-time payment which he said will be put towards buying a home for his family.

According to the Florida lottery, 77% of all lottery tickets from 2021-2022 were scratch-off tickets.

This isn't the first stroke of lotto luck to hit the sunshine state in recent months.

This past October, a winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased in Fort Myers, Florida. which saw a jackpot of $494 million (split with another winning ticket purchased in California).

October's Mega Millions marked the third-ever winner of its kind in Florida.

Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Growing a Business

How to Determine The Ideal Length of Your Marketing Emails Your Customers Will Actually Read

Wondering how long your marketing emails should be? Here's what consumers say — so you can send them exactly what they like.

Business News

A Former Corporate Lawyer Now Makes Six Figures on YouTube — Here's How She Does It

Here are the secrets to starting and growing a successful YouTube channel, according to a YouTuber with millions of subscribers.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

New Southwest Airlines Major Investor Wants to Force Out CEO, Slams Company's 'Stubborn Unwillingness to Evolve'

Elliot Investment Management announced a $1.9 billion stake in the Dallas-based Southwest Airlines on Monday and is urging shareholders to vote for new leadership.