For the second time in seven months, a Florida trucker has become a millionaire playing the Florida lottery.
Donald Ritacco, 48, of Fort Lauderdale, won the $1 million top prize from the Florida Lottery’s $1,000,000 Cash Spectacular Scratch-Off game, according to a lottery release. He became the game’s ninth top prizewinner after redeeming his ticket Dec. 15 at lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.
Ritacco plans to continue his job hauling equipment for boat shows with Show Management of Fort Lauderdale. But he told lottery officials he had not made plans for how he would spend his winnings.
He has chosen to receive his prize in 20 annual installments of $50,000.
“There was only the clerk in the store, and I told him I won,” Ritacco says. “I then called my wife to tell her the good news, and she didn’t believe me until I showed her the ticket. After I got home and showed her, I kept the ticket glued to my side until I came to the lottery office.”
On May 13, Lindsay Randall, who drove for Cypress Truck Lines of Jackson, redeemed his ticket for an estimated $20 million Lotto drawing. The 49-year old Fort White, Fla., resident opted to take his money as a lump sum.
Ritacco purchased his ticket at the Marathon Gas Station, on West State Road 84 in Fort Lauderdale.
Florida does not have state income tax, but both winners will have to pay federal taxes at 27 percent on their winnings.
