Florida Man Walks Into Publix for a Sandwich and Ends Up Winning $5 Million

By: Carissa | Last updated: Oct 27, 2023

When a Florida resident recently walked into a grocery store to buy a sandwich, he had no idea he was on his way to becoming a newly minted millionaire. 

Travis Hall, of Port St. Lucie, stopped into a local Publix to grab a quick bite to eat. While at the checkout, he decided to purchase a $20 Monopoly Doubler Scratch-Off. It turned out to be Hall’s lucky day because he left the store $5 million dollars richer.

He Became a Millionaire on His Lunch Break

For only the minimal cost of a grocery store sandwich and a $20 lottery ticket, 44-year-old Hall became an instant millionaire.

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

According to Hall, “I stopped at Publix to grab a sub and decided to try my luck with a $20 scratch-off. Little did I know, it would turn into a $5 million-dollar win!” Hall revealed that he had waited days to finally scratch the ticket, and when he finally did he couldn’t believe his eyes. “I handed it to my wife,” he said. “My hands were trembling from disbelief at what I was seeing.”

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He Spent $27 and Made $5 Million

The cost of an average submarine sandwich at Publix typically costs no more than $7. Hall added an additional $20 scratch ticket to his bill and for such a small investment, he became a millionaire.

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

It remains unclear if Hall was a regular lottery player or if he just happened to play on a whim that one afternoon. While many have shied away from wasting their hard-earned money on lottery tickets, the story of Travis Hall shows that anyone can be a winner. 

He Chose the One-Time Lump Sum Payment

He purchased his winning lottery ticket at a Publix in Stuart, Florida. The grocery store also will receive a $10,000 commission bonus for selling the winning ticket.

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Source: Wikipedia Commons

Hall eagerly claimed his massive jackpot at the lottery’s headquarters in Tallahassee. He was given the option of getting his windfall in a small payment or a one-time lump sum. Hall opted for the singular payment of $3,994,698 after taxes.

He Really Beat the Odds

Upon claiming his grand prize, Travis Hall and his wife happily posed holding an oversized check written out for $5 million.

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Source: Florida Lottery

Luck really was on Hall’s side the day he became a scratch ticket winner. According to the Florida State Lottery, the odds of winning the $20 Monopoly Doubles Scratch-Off are 1-in-3.02. The game offers more than $493 million in cash prizes. Hall was one of the top eight winners of a $5 million dollar award.

Publix Has Sold Dozens of Winning Lottery Tickets

If you really want to be the next big lottery winner, Publix just might be the place to go. Publix, the supermarket chain headquartered in Florida, has become synonymous with selling big jackpot lottery tickets as of late.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

In recent weeks, Publix made headlines for selling a Florida woman a $1 million lottery ticket, another $2 million lottery ticket, a Mega Millions ticket worth $36 million, and a Mega Millions ticket worth $1.58 billion.

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Another Florida Man Won $5 Million the Same Week

Travis Hall isn’t the only one to win big on a $20 Monopoly Doubles Scratch-Off. The same week Hall claimed his winnings, another Florida man won $5 million from the same kind of Monopoly scratch ticket.

Source: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images

61-year-old Victor Robbins of Volusia County won the multi-million dollar prize a mere two days after Travis Hall. He also opted for the one-time lump sum payment of $3,994,698. The winning ticket was purchased from a Walmart in Port Orange, Florida.

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There Is Still More Money to Win

The Monopoly Doubler game claims to be “a better than average scratch-off,” statistically speaking.

Source: moneymikeslots/TikTok

According to the Florida Lottery website, the Monopoly Doubler scratch-off game debuted on July 4, 2022. Since then, millions of dollars have been claimed by winning ticket holders. After the two most recent winners claimed their prizes, there are said to be two more $5 million tickets remaining.

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The Florida Lottery Has Even More New Lottery Games

The Florida Lottery is promoting a slew of new games in addition to the popular $20 Monopoly Doubler scratch-off.

Source: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Other new scratch-off games include Fast Bucks, Aces and 8s, Hit and Win, and $5 Million Triple Match. On top of that, the Florida Lottery is offering a limited-time raffle that gives players a chance to win $500 in cash. Anyone who purchases a $10 or more Powerball, Mega Million, CashPop or Florida Lotto ticket will be automatically entered in the raffle promotion.

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The Lottery Means Big Business for Florida

While the Florida Lottery gives away boatloads of money to lucky winners, the game has also generated more than $18 billion for the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.

Source: Brandon Bell

The Florida Lottery also supports other good causes such as the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. Florida’s lottery has contributed over $44 billion to education causes over the years. According to the Florida State Lottery, “The majority of Florida Lottery revenue goes back into Florida’s economy in the form of prizes to players.”

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The Largest Mega Millions Ticket in History Was Sold in Florida

There’s something about Florida that just attracts winning lottery tickets. In August 2023, one lucky winner hit the Mega Millions jackpot after purchasing a ticket at a Publix in Neptune Beach, Florida.

Source: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The jackpot was for $1.58 billion and it marked a record high in the lottery’s history. According to Mega Millions rules and guidelines, the winner had the choice to receive an annual installment for the next 29 years, or a $1.58 billion lump sum – which would come out to $783 million after taxes.

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Monopoly Doubler Scratch Tickets Have Become a Hot Trend on TikTok

Due to the recent news of multiple people winning $5 million prizes by playing the $20 Monopoly Doubler game, people from all over have scrambled to buy scratch-offs of the same kind.

Source: ezay.the.florida/TikTok

Florida residents and people passing through the Sunshine State have purchased multiple $20 tickets in hopes of becoming the next Travis Hall or Victor Robbins. TikTok users have gone viral after recording themselves scratching off piles of Monopoly Doubler tickets.

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