Two Palm Beach County residents kicked off 2026 with a serious stroke of luck—each landing $2 million scratch-off wins just weeks into January.
The first big moment came on Jan. 5 when 56-year-old Walkens Talabert of Boca Raton hit the $2 million top prize playing the “Double Diamond Cashword” scratch-off. He chose the cash option and walked away with about $1,189,600 after buying the ticket at a Publix on State Road 7.
Not long after, another win followed in the same county.
On Jan. 20, 33-year-old Lekisha Epps of Pahokee scored her own $2 million prize from the “100X The Cash” game. She also went with the lump-sum payout, taking home roughly $1,111,700 after purchasing her winning ticket at a Kwik Stop on Bacom Point Road.
And Palm Beach wasn’t the only place celebrating.
That same day, Alejandro Morales of Miami also claimed a $2 million prize from the “Monopoly Secret Vault” scratch-off. He opted for a one-time payout of about $1,153,865 after buying his ticket at a Winn-Dixie on Southwest 40th Street.
Quick highlights:
- Three $2 million winners in South Florida in January
- All wins came from $10 scratch-off games
- Claims made within just over two weeks of each other
- All winners chose lump-sum cash payouts
Florida Lottery scratch-offs continue to be fan favorites, offering multi-million-dollar top prizes with odds that vary by game.
The Florida Lottery also notes it has generated over $50 billion for education programs statewide since 1988, including support for Bright Futures scholarships, while awarding more than $106 billion in prizes.
