TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Forget the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots, a 37-year-old Fort Lauderdale man set his sights on a more realistic $5 million prize. While he didn’t score a top prize, he’s still taking home an impressive $1 million.
Thomas Chernick claimed his million-dollar prize from the Gold Rush Limited scratch-off game at the Lottery’s Miami District Office. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $795,000.00.
His odds of winning were just 1-in-756,000 compared to the Mega Millions odds of 1-in-302.6 million.
| Prize Amount | Odds of Winning | Total Prizes | Prizes Remaining | Prizes Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000,000 | 1-in-2,362,500 | 32 | 9 | 23 |
| $1,000,000 | 1-in-756,000 | 100 | 32 | 68 |
| $100,000 | 1-in-630,000 | 120 | 33 | 87 |
| $10,000 | 1-in-40,000 | 1,890 | 524 | 1,366 |
| $1,000 | 1-in-2,400 | 31,500 | 8,901 | 22,599 |
| $500 | 1-in-1,600 | 47,250 | 12,439 | 34,811 |
Chernick bought his winning ticket from Publix, located at 2633 North Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning scratch-off ticket.
The $20 game features 32 top prizes of $5 million and 100 prizes of $1 million. The lottery says the game’s overall odds of winning are 1-in-2.65.