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Lottery player spends $20 on ticket at Florida Circle K — and hits life-changing win

A Tampa Bay woman won a life-changing lottery prize with a scratch-off ticket sold at a gas station convenience store, officials said.
A Tampa Bay woman won a life-changing lottery prize with a scratch-off ticket sold at a gas station convenience store, officials said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A lottery player’s trip to a Circle K in Florida ended with her winning $1 million.

The Pinellas County woman has now claimed her prize in Tallahassee as a one-time sum of $652,665.60, Florida Lottery officials said Dec. 11.

Krista Hyde, 37, bought a $20 scratch-off ticket in the $5,000,000 Crossword Cash game at a Clearwater gas station, according to the Florida Lottery.

She beat the 1-in-1,337,355 odds to win one of 12 second-tier prizes of $1 million in the game, officials said.

The Circle K, located at 2173 North Hercules Ave. in Clearwater, received a $2,000 commission for selling the lucky ticket, according to the Florida Lottery.

Two top prizes of $5,000,000 remain in the game, as well as three prizes of $1,000,000, lottery records show.

Clearwater is part of the Tampa Bay area.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published December 11, 2024 at 4:58 PM with the headline "Lottery player spends $20 on ticket at Florida Circle K — and hits life-changing win."

OL
Olivia Lloyd
mcclatchy-newsroom
Olivia Lloyd is an Associate Editor/Reporter for the Coral Springs News, the Pembroke Pines News and the Miramar News. She graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Previously, she has worked for Hearst DevHub, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and McClatchy’s Real Time Team.
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