LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Lottery announced that Ariel Gomez, 29, of Lake City, and Robert Chencinski, 50, of Lakeland, each claimed $500,000 top prizes from the DIAMOND MINE 9X Scratch-Off game using secured drop boxes located at the Gainesville and Tampa District Offices.
Gomez purchased her winning ticket from Step-In Food Mart, located at 4039 U.S. Highway 90 West in Lake City. Chencinski purchased his winning ticket from 7-Eleven, located at 4975 South Florida Avenue in Lakeland.
The $5 game, DIAMOND MINE 9X, launched in December 2020 and features over $48 million in total cash prizes. The game’s overall odds of winning are 1-in-4.00.
Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 75 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $1 billion for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2019-20.
Florida Lottery offices are currently open to the public by appointment only for players with prizes valued at $600 or more.
Payers can request a claim appointment at Headquarters and district offices through the Lottery’s website, at www.flalottery.com/howToClaim.
Players can still utilize the secured drop box located at each district office or mail tickets to Florida Lottery Headquarters or a district office.