Stop on ride home from game earns Jags fan $500K

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Ponte Vedra man has claimed a $500,000 prize after buying a Florida Lottery scratch-off ticket on Sunday.

Michael Tracey, 34, claimed his prize in the Gold Rush Tripler Scratch-Off game at lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.

Tracey, an avid lottery player, purchased his winning ticket from Kangaroo Express on A1A North in Ponte Vedra Beach.

"As I was leaving the Jacksonville Jaguars game on Sunday, my girlfriend asked if I could stop by the gas station on the way home," Tracey said. "I was originally going to buy a $25 ticket but the store had just sold out. My second ticket choice, Gold Rush Tripler, proved to be the lucky one."

The $20 scratch-off game offers better odds of winning $30 to $500 compared to previous Gold Rush games, and the best odds ever to win $500,000. There are 10 $500,000 prizes and five $3 million top prizes remaining.

The overall odds of winning are 1 in 2.95.