HAINES CITY, Fla. — A Polk County woman took home a hefty reward after buying a $20 scratch-off ticket at a local grocery store.
The Florida Lottery said Mary Curatolo from Haines City claimed a $1 million prize from the $5,000,000 Triple Match Scratch-Off game.
Curatolo chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $664,198 at the lottery's Tallahassee headquarters.
She purchased her ticket from a Publix at 617 US Highway 17-92 in Haines City. The grocery store received a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket.
A scammer tricked an 89-year-old, telling her that her grandson was hurt and that she needed to withdraw nearly $10,000 immediately. Luckily, Jennifer Sgro, a teller at Achieva Credit Union in Clearwater, stepped in when she recognized something was wrong.