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Lotto Jackpot Reaches $52 Million After 8 Rollovers

NR 08-29-02 ... Florida Lotto's $52 million jackpot is currently the highest single-state top prize in the nation - among 38 state lotteries and the District of Columbia. Only one multi-state jackpot is higher.

The $52 million jackpot is also the 18^th highest in Lotto history and the highest since 01-19-02, when 4 winners with tickets from Brooksville, Jacksonville, Miami and Wellington shared an $87.60 million top prize. All of the winners used the Quick Pick option on that occasion, and each one collected $21.90 million.

In the event that Saturday's drawing should produce a sole winner, s/he could either opt for a single cash payment of approximately $26 million or, otherwise, receive around $1.73 million annually over the next 30 years.

On Wednesday [Aug 28] evening at 8 pm ET, ticket sales for the $40 million jackpot peaked at a rate of 17,580 per minute statewide. On Saturday [Aug 24] evening at 8 pm ET, ticket sales for the $32 million jackpot peaked at a rate of 16,000 per minute statewide.

Ticket sales are expected to be in the 20,000 per minute range this Saturday [Aug 31] evening sometime between 6 - 8 pm ET. Recent Saturday sales for a $4 million jackpot peaked at about 6,000 tickets per minute.

To accommodate increased player demand, an additional 23 online game terminals are being installed at high traffic retail locations on the Alabama and Georgia state borders and in large cities.

This series of 8 rollovers will contribute approximately $35 million to public education in Florida.

Lotto Jackpot Reaches $40 Million After 7 Rollovers

NR 08-27-02 ... Florida Lotto's $40 million jackpot is currently the highest single-state top prize in the nation - among 38 state lotteries and the District of Columbia. Only one multi-state jackpot is higher.

The $40 million jackpot is also the 24^th highest in Lotto history and the highest since 01-19-02, when 4 winners with tickets from Brooksville, Jacksonville, Miami and Wellington shared an $87.60 million top prize. All of the winners used the Quick Pick option on that occasion, and each one collected $21.90 million.

In the event that Wednesday's drawing should produce a sole winner, s/he could either opt for a lump sum payment of approximately $21 million or, otherwise, receive around $1.33 million annually over the next 30 years.

On Saturday [Aug 24] evening at 8 pm ET, ticket sales for the $32 million jackpot peaked at a rate of 16,000 per minute statewide. A week earlier, on Saturday [Aug 17] evening at 9 pm ET, ticket sales for the $20 million jackpot peaked at a rate of 11,500 per minute statewide.

Ticket sales are expected to be in the 20,000 per minute range this Wednesday [Aug 28] evening sometime between 5 - 8 pm ET. Typical Wednesday sales for a $5 million jackpot peak at 6,000 tickets per minute.

This series of 7 rollovers will contribute approximately $26 million to public education in Florida.

NR 08-23-02 ... Princeton is the 216^th Florida location to register a Fantasy 5 jackpot winner.

NR 08-22-02 ... North Lauderdale is the 215^th Florida location to register a Fantasy 5 jackpot winner.

NR 08-16-02 ... Three players with tickets from Arcadia, Orlando and Tampa share $209,582 Fantasy 5 jackpot on Aug 15 !!! Each winner receives $69,861. The winning ticket from Arcadia is the first ever from DeSoto County, which thus becomes the 55th Florida county [out of 67] to report a Fantasy 5 jackpot winner.

NR 08-14-02 ... Thirteen players with tickets from Alachua, Hialeah, Jacksonville, Lake Park, Miami, Miami Beach, Miramar, Orlando, Port Orange, Seminole, Wabasso (2) and West Palm Beach share $150,883 Mega Money jackpot on Aug 13 !!! Each winner receives $11,606. The two winning tickets from Wabasso are the first ever from Indian River County, which thus becomes the 35th Florida county [out of 67] to report a Mega Money jackpot winner.

Fort Lauderdale Woman Claims $10.92 Million Lotto Jackpot

NR 08-13-02 ... On Monday, Aug 12, a woman from Fort Lauderdale claimed the $10.92 million Lotto jackpot from the May 29 drawing at Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee – exactly 75 days after the drawing. Since the 60-day time period allowed for claiming a single cash payment had expired, Diane Charboneau (55) will receive her award in 30 annual installments of approximately $364,000 each.

Diane, a computer programmer, and her mate Robert Phillips were out of town during the May 29 drawing, and only recently checked their Florida Lotto tickets. Diane discovered that she was a winner while examining a number of Lottery tickets she had stored in a drawer in her sewing room.

"I checked the first four numbers and I had them so I thought that was nice," Diane said. "When I checked all six numbers, I had them all! All I could say was 'Oh, my God, I have all of them!'"

Diane commented that her plans to surprise Robert went flat when she asked him if he wanted to play golf seven days a week and he answered, "Not really."

"I didn't' know what I was supposed to do then," Diane expressed. "So I just told him we won, and he didn't believe me."

"I said, 'You're kidding.' I couldn't believe it," Robert stated.

The couple mentioned that retirement is an option they are considering now.

"I will give some to charity because that is what I have always done," Diane added. "I think that's something you should always do."

Diane bought her lucky ticket at the 7-Eleven store, located at 2656 East Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. She selected her numbers using the Lottery's Quick Pick system. The 7-Eleven Corporation will receive a $10,000 retailer bonus for selling the jackpot winning ticket.

Diane is the 60^th Florida Lotto winner with a ticket purchased in Broward County, the 17^th winner with a ticket from the city of Fort Lauderdale, and the 722^nd overall winner since the game began in 1988.

NR 08-03-02 ... One player with Mount Dora ticket wins $243,615 Fantasy 5 jackpot on Aug 2 !!! This is the highest Fantasy 5 payout in Lake County.