Will Florida's $800M Mega Millions winner stay anonymous?

The article discusses the ongoing speculation surrounding the unclaimed $800 million Mega Millions jackpot ticket purchased at a Wawa in the Lakewood Ranch area near Sarasota, Florida, for the July 28, 2026 drawing. The winner must claim the prize within 60 days if opting for a lump-sum cash payment, or up to 180 days for the full jackpot. Florida laws allow winners of large prizes to keep their identities confidential for 90 days after claiming, leading to uncertainty about the winner's identity even after claiming the prize. The piece also highlights a previous instance where a Mega Millions jackpot was claimed by a limited liability company instead of an individual. The article touches on the celebration at the Wawa for selling the winning ticket, including free coffee giveaways.

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How Florida Lottery promotes jackpot winners

The Manatee County Wawa at 14510 State Road 70 E. celebrated the winning ticket sale by giving away free coffee and soft drinks on Thursday, July 30.

Visitors to the store will find newly installed Florida Lottery signs reading, "Winning ticket sold here."

The Florida Lottery helps retailers publicize winning ticket sales while highlighting winners through news releases and other publicity materials.

"We are proud of our winners and we want to show you off!" reads the Florida Lottery website. "We will highlight your success story and winning experience in a press release. We'll also give you a photo op with a giant check with your winning amount on the front."

The Florida Lottery's recent winners page includes an example from Manatee County. Robin Glover, 41, claimed a $6.25 million Florida Lotto jackpot at Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee five days after the Oct. 25, 2025, drawing. She chose the one-time lump-sum payment of $3,529,535.42 after purchasing the winning ticket at the Publix at 3900 E. Bay Drive in Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island.

About a year earlier, another Florida Publix sold a winning jackpot ticket for a much larger prize.

A previous Florida Mega Millions mystery

On Aug. 8, 2023, someone won the $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot after purchasing a ticket from a Publix in Neptune Beach. At the time, the jackpot was one of the largest lottery prizes in U.S. history and the largest Mega Millions lottery payout overall.

After final sales, the grand prize totaled $1.602 billion or $794.2 million cash.

According to the Florida Lottery, Saltines Holdings LLC, of Miami, claimed the prize on Sept. 25, 2023, after its ticket from a Publix grocery in Neptune Beach, near Jacksonville, matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball in the Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, drawing.

The Florida Lottery publicly identified the claimant as Saltines Holdings LLC rather than an individual, highlighting one way major lottery prizes in Florida have been claimed.

Whether the winner of the $800 million Mega Millions jackpot sold in Manatee County follows a similar path remains to be seen. As of Friday afternoon, the prize remained unclaimed.

Wade Tatangelo is the executive editor of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Florida dining and entertainment editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Facebook , Instagram , and X . He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing .

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Will Florida's $800M Mega Millions winner stay anonymous?

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Will Florida's $800M Mega Millions winner stay anonymous?

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