Air Force veteran wins $1M on lottery scratch off

SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. (Gray News) - A U.S. Air Force veteran hit a million-dollar prize while recently playing a lottery scratch-off game in Florida.

According to the Florida Lottery, 67-year-old Kerim Akel, a retired electrical engineer for the Air Force, won a $1 million prize in the lottery’s 500X The Cash scratch-off game.

Akel claimed his prize money at lottery headquarters in Tallahassee and chose to receive the winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $820,000.

The 67-year-old shared with lottery officials that he purchased his winning ticket at a Publix supermarket located on Navarre Parkway in the Navarre area.

Officials said the store will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning scratch-off ticket.

Tickets for the 500X The Cash scratch-off game are available for $50 and offer a top prize of $25 million. The game’s overall odds of winning are 4.5-1, according to the lottery.