A Wawa station in the city of Bradenton, on Florida's west coast, was the location where the ticket was sold that turned a lucky individual into the winner of the jackpot of 800 million dollars from Mega Millions, as confirmed by Telemundo 51.
The drawing took place this Tuesday, and the winner has yet to show any signs of life.
The ticket was purchased at the convenience store and gas station located at 14510 State Road 70 E, in the mentioned city of Manatee County.
The winning combination was 34, 48, 49, 59, and 70, with Mega Ball 12.
Bradenton is a city located along the Manatee River and close to the Gulf of Mexico. Known for its peaceful atmosphere, waterfront parks, and proximity to some of the state's most famous beaches, such as Anna Maria Island, it combines the charm of a residential community with a growing array of shops, restaurants, and cultural activities.
Additionally, it is a popular destination among retirees, tourists, and families, and it serves as the spring training headquarters for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball, making it a point of interest for baseball fans.
Bradenton does not have as large a Cuban community as Miami, Hialeah, or Tampa, which significantly decreases the chances that the winner of the coveted prize was a citizen of Cuban origin, although nothing is impossible.
The tenth largest prize in the history of Mega Millions
The Mega Millions described the moment in an official statement: “A lucky ticket holder in the Sunshine State will celebrate the summer in style with a huge Mega Millions jackpot!”
The $800 million prize is the largest lottery win of the year 2026 and the tenth largest in the history of Mega Millions, a lottery held on Tuesdays and Fridays in 45 states across the country.
The drawing also ended a streak of 38 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner, which had been ongoing since March 17 of this year.
During that period, nearly 10.9 million tickets won minor prizes totaling more than 273 million dollars.
How much money will the winner actually receive?
The fortunate individual will need to make an important decision in the next 60 days: to choose between an annual payment of 800 million distributed in 30 installments, or a one-time cash payment, estimated at 344.2 million dollars before taxes.
If you choose the lump-sum payment, the mandatory federal withholding of 24% would reduce that amount to approximately 261.6 million. Applying the highest federal rate of 37%, the final net amount could be around 165.6 million dollars.
There is a key advantage for the winner: Florida is one of only eight states that do not impose state taxes on lottery winnings.
As Telemundo 51 pointed out, "there are only eight states that do not impose state taxes on lottery winnings, which means they offer the highest payouts, and Florida is one of them."
If the winner does not choose the cash payment within 60 days, the prize will be automatically paid in 30 annual installments.
In total, you have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim the prize, and since it exceeds one million dollars, the process must be conducted at the Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.
Will the winner be able to keep their identity a secret?
Florida law provides relevant temporary protection.
According to Telemundo 51, “when the prize is over $250,000, the identity of the winner remains confidential for 90 days from the date the prize is claimed.”
After that period, the name becomes public record.
However, winners have the option to claim through a trust or an LLC, making only the name of the trustee or their attorney public.
This temporary anonymity law in Florida is in effect until October 2, 2027.
Florida, land of great prizes
This is not the first time Florida has made headlines in the Mega Millions. Since the state joined the game in 2013, it has won or shared six major jackpots.
The absolute record for the lottery belongs to Florida: the $1.602 billion won on August 8, 2023, with a ticket sold in Neptune Beach, claimed by Saltines Holdings, LLC in September of that year.
In addition to the grand winner in Florida, two second-tier tickets also had a memorable night: one in New York won three million dollars with a 3x multiplier, and another in Illinois won five million with a 5x multiplier, both after correctly matching the five white numbers without the Mega Ball.
The next Mega Millions drawing will take place on Friday, July 31, at 11 p.m. ET, with a jackpot reset to 50 million dollars and a cash option of 21.5 million.
Filed under: