Riviera Beach Marathon sells $2 million ticket
RIVIERA BEACH — Moe Hoq has sold plenty of Florida lottery tickets, even some winners, but none with a prize worth millions.
On Saturday afternoon, though, Hoq sold a winning Monopoly Florida edition ticket — worth $2 million — at the Marathon Gas Station on Broadway to a man who frequents the Riviera Beach store.
T h e w i n n e r , B o b b y Fergeson Sr., comes in about every day with his wife, said the store’s owner, Paul Chowdhury. But he doesn’t buy lottery tickets nearly as often.
On Saturday, Fergeson dropped $10 on a scratchoff ticket. Hoq knew it was a winner when the 59-year-old Riviera Beach man started to scream.
Fergeson had scratched off the winning numbers and claimed the first of the game’s eight top prizes. He chose the lump-sum payment of more than $1,540,000, instead of receiving the $2 million prize in payouts over several years, the Florida Lottery said Tuesday. Attempts to reach Fergeson for comment Tuesday were unsuccessful.
Chowdhury was at lunch when Hoq called, saying the owner had to come back.
Fergeson had left by the time Chowdhury arrived but a quick call later and Ferge son, who the store owner said “is almost like a friend,” was back. A picture of Fergeson, his wife and Chowdhury now hangs near the counter.
The $10 Monopoly scratchoff game began July 5 in Florida, and Chowdhury said it already is one of the most popular games at his store.