Lottery player wins top prize of $7 million with ticket sold near Florida-Georgia line

By Olivia Lloyd
A Tampa woman searched at a Florida airport was found to have $71,300 crammed into her clothes and $31,000 in her luggage, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A Tampa woman searched at a Florida airport was found to have $71,300 crammed into her clothes and $31,000 in her luggage, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

It’s a good start to the new year for one lottery player who’s just become a multimillionaire in Georgia.

The lucky winner hit a $7 million jackpot with a 2nd Billionaire Club ticket sold at a gas station in Valdosta, which is about a 20-mile drive north from the Florida-Georgia state line, the Georgia Lottery said in a Jan. 3 news release.

The resident of nearby Barney claimed their windfall Jan. 2 as a lump sum payout of $3,757,786, lottery officials said.

The ticket buyer spent $30 to play and beat the 1-in-6,000,000 odds of winning the top prize in the scratch-off game, according to the Georgia Lottery.

Valdosta is the seat of Lowndes County, which is on the state’s southern border.

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.

Olivia Lloyd
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Aaron Moody is a sports and general reporter for the News & Observer. Here is a second sentence for the bio because it will probably be longer than this. Maybe even longer I don't know. Support my work with a digital subscription