Florida resident wins $494 million lottery after Hurricane Ian

10/21/22 By Madeleine Kendris

A Florida resident won the $494 million lottery shortly after the state was hit by Category 4 Hurricane Ian.

Florida lottery officials revealed Monday that one of two winning tickets was purchased from a 7/11 in Fort Myers, the other was purchased in California. 

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida on September 28 and was declared the third deadliest storm to hit the United States. There have been over 100 deaths linked to the storm, over half in Lee County, which includes Fort Myers.  

Lottery winners in the state are given 180 days to collect their prize. A new law now allows winners to remain anonymous for 90 days after prize collection, under the condition that the prize is over $250,000. Other lottery winners set up legal trusts to protect their identity.