Jacksonville, Florida – The Florida Lottery has confirmed that John Stanhill, a 46-year-old Jacksonville resident, has won a $1 million prize from the 500X THE CASH Scratch-Off game. Choosing to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment, Stanhill walked away with $640,000.
John purchased his lucky ticket from Duval Exxon on Third Street North in Jacksonville Beach. The retailer received a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket.
Life-Changing Wins
The timing of Stanhill’s win could not have been more perfect. Accompanied by his partner, Victoria Oakley, and their family dog, Maya, during the prize claim, the couple shared their excitement. With their first baby expected to arrive in just three weeks from the win, Stanhill couldn’t help but express his joy, stating, “This just couldn’t have happened at a better time!”
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When the Florida Lottery followed up with the couple, they were already adjusting to their new life with a newborn. Victoria Oakley shared their happiness, saying, “We won the lottery – and then we won the lottery again with our beautiful, healthy baby boy! All in three weeks’ time!”
The couple has taken their lottery win as a blessing that allowed them to ease into parenthood without financial stress. “Our lottery win has been such a huge relief for us. We’ve been able to fully focus on being new parents by putting our financial worries at ease,” they explained. With the windfall, they have started a college fund for their new son and are planning to pay off their student loans.
More Than Just Winnings
The 500X THE CASH Scratch-Off game, priced at $50 per ticket, remains popular among Florida Lottery enthusiasts, offering more than 10 million winning tickets and a top prize of $25 million. The game boasts over $1.66 billion in total cash prizes and has favorable odds of winning at approximately 1-in-4.23.
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Scratch-off games are an important part of the Florida Lottery’s offerings, accounting for about 72 percent of ticket sales in the fiscal year 2022-2023. Since their inception, these games have paid out over $61.9 billion in prizes, created more than 2,103 millionaires, and generated over $18.95 billion for the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF).
