Publix is an excellent grocery store to visit in Florida and some other states. You can buy a lot of necessities and other fun things there, but they don’t sell everything.
If you’re looking to play the lottery, you may wonder if you can get a ticket with your groceries. Consider whether Publix has what you’re looking for.
Does Publix Have Lottery Tickets?
Publix has lottery tickets at most locations. The exception is in Alabama, which doesn’t permit lottery contests. In other states where Publix operates, you can find tickets at the checkout counter or customer service desk.
Be sure you bring cash to pay for the tickets you want. Publix won’t accept credit cards when you’re playing the lottery.
What States Is Publix In?
Publix has locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. All of those states allow lotteries except for Alabama, which doesn’t allow any kind of gambling.
If you’re in any of the other states, you can go to your local Publix to buy a lottery ticket. Sadly, you can’t always buy the tickets online, especially in states like South Carolina.
However, buying your ticket in person is easy enough. You can go to your nearest location and follow a few steps to enter the lottery. If you’re in Alabama, you may be able to cross into another state to buy a lottery ticket from Publix.
How to Buy a Lottery Ticket at Publix?
Whether you live near a Publix or are vacationing in a city with the store, you may want to buy a lottery ticket. You might feel lucky one day, and the lottery is a great way to test that luck.
However, you’ll need to do the following to purchase your next lotto ticket.
Bring Cash
Before you go to Publix, make sure you get some cash. The store doesn’t accept credit cards because they don’t want to risk customers filing a claim against the lottery.
It’s possible they’ll accept checks, but those might come with the same risk. Save yourself the stress and time, and get some cash from your bank or an ATM. If that doesn’t work, you could buy something else with a debit card and get cash back at Publix.
Then, you can get groceries and buy a lottery ticket in the same trip. That can help you save time and keep from using a ton of gas driving all over town to complete your errands.
Proceed to the Counter
Once you have your cash and are at Publix, you can go to the checkout counter or customer service counter. The specific location may vary from store to store and if the store is out of a certain type of lottery ticket.
If you aren’t sure where to go, ask an employee. Then, they can help you find the right spot to purchase the lottery ticket you want.
Show Your ID
When you reach the front of the line, tell the cashier what you want. Publix sells traditional tickets as well as scratch-offs.
Either way, you need to be 18 or older to purchase one. The cashier will ask for your ID, so have it out and ready to help speed up the process.
Older adults might not need to show an ID. But if you’re younger, you’ll probably need to show you’re old enough. However, it never hurts for anyone of any age to bring an ID.
Purchase the Tickets
At this point, the employee will give you the number of tickets you ask for. They’ll collect the cash and give you any change.
You can buy a single ticket or multiple. If you want a scratch-off, you could buy one. However, you could buy an entire roll of up to 300 tickets.
Each ticket costs $2, so keep that in mind before buying a lot of tickets. If you don’t have much cash, start with one ticket for now.
Cash a Lottery Ticket at Publix
If you happen to win the lottery, you may be able to cash your ticket at Publix. You’ll want to head to the customer service counter and bring the winning ticket and your ID.
However, make sure the ticket is less than $600. Publix and other grocery stores won’t cash tickets larger than that due to tax collection.
The winning ticket can be one you bought from Publix or another store. Similarly, you could take your Publix ticket to another store to redeem your winnings.
Where Else to Cash a Lottery Ticket
If you win more than $600, you’ll need to go through your state to cash it. That’s because you have to pay taxes on winnings of that amount or higher.
Your state will process the ticket and pay you the cash you earned. They can also give you the tax forms and other documents regarding your winnings.
Another option for lower-value tickets is other stores that sell lottery tickets. You could go to a gas station or another grocery store. That’s a good option if you’re traveling and are no longer near a Publix once you learn you won money.
You can buy lottery tickets at Publix but not at Alabama locations. Be sure you head to the right counter in the store and bring cash and your ID. Then, you can return to Publix with your ticket if you win a small amount to cash out on your winnings.