Florida woman claims her win after lucky lottery ticket sold in Publix this past summer turned into $4 million prize

Tallahassee, Florida – In a turn of near-millions fate, Megan Chora of Largo, Florida, saw her dreams brush against a massive Mega Millions jackpot, only to fall just one number short. After winning $4 million in the June 11 Mega Millions draw, 40-year-old Florida resident Choma today visited the Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee to claim her big second-tier reward. Her ticket barely missed the gold Mega Ball, the difference between her award and the $30 million jackpot even though it hit all five of the white ball numbers.
Purchased at a Publix shop on Ulmerton Road in Largo, Chora’s winning ticket had the Megaplier add-on and earned a $5,000 commission for sale of the lucky slip. The Megaplier, a multiplier that increased her winnings from a basic $1 million second-tier award to an astounding $4 million, helps explain the large payout of the prize.
Though it wasn’t the full jackpot, Chora expressed enthusiasm at her surprising fortune. Of course, it would have been amazing to win $30 million, but $4 million is a life-changing sum in and by itself.
Chora’s wins serve as a reminder of the excitement and unpredictability of the Mega Millions game, which Florida has had running presence since 2013. Since then, the game has given over $1.89 billion in rewards across the state, exciting players and generating over $1.21 billion for educational projects. With approximately $47 billion invested since 1988, enabling almost one million students to attend college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, every ticket sold helps the Florida Lottery fulfill its ultimate goal of supporting state education.
Set for Friday, November 1, at 11 p.m., the next Mega Millions drawing has a mouthwatering $281 million on line. Tickets are sold until 10 p.m. that evening; aspirants across the state can watch the outcomes develop live. Playing 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mega Millions is among the biggest lotteries in the country.
With a 1 in 302.6 million chance, the chances of landing the Mega Millions jackpot are well known to be rather steep. Players have to match all five white balls plus the gold Mega Ball if they want to win the jackpot. Currently costing $2, Mega Millions tickets are expected to cost $5 starting April, so increasing the thrill and prize value of one of the most often played games in the United States.
Regarding the lucky retailer, Publix on Ulmerton Road paid a $5,000 commission for selling the prize-winning ticket, therefore celebrating their own portion of the gain. This is a suitable homage to the several neighborhood businesses who take part in the lottery, therefore supporting the larger objective of the Florida Lottery—that of funding education and reinvesting into the local economy.
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For Chora, her near call with the $30 million jackpot will be recorded in the books. She is proof, though, that even a “near-win” in the lottery may have life-changing effects—she has $4 million in her pocket and a universe of possibilities ahead. Her story reminds that even if one number is off, fortune may find you in the most unlikely of places as Floridians line up for the next drawing.