Couple goes to cash in lottery win — but their prize was too big. ‘Most exciting thing’

A couple won so much money playing the Kentucky lottery that they couldn’t cash in their winnings at two separate gas stations, according to a news release.

James Polk and his fiance, Maddy, bought a $10 Fast Play Extreme Green ticket at Lucky Mart in Mayfield on March 3 and soon realized they’d won the jackpot prize.

“I kept calling off numbers and sure enough everything matched,” Maddy told lottery officials.

All 10 numbers on the ticket they’d bought matched the jackpot. They took turns looking at the ticket “and were pretty confident they had won,” the release said.

When they tried to cash in their winnings at a gas station, they were told it was too much for the store to pay out.

At a second gas station, the store clerk told Polk they needed to go to the lottery headquarters in Louisville, the release said.

“I figured it has to be the big one,” Polk told officials.

They drove there Monday, March 6, and Polk received his check for $353,396.61, the portion of their $494,261 winnings after taxes.

Lucky Mart also gets $4,942.61 for selling the ticket, the release said.

Maddy has two kids and said she plans to buy them some things they’ve been wanting, while Polk plans to buy a truck.

“This is by far the most exciting thing to ever happen,” Maddy told officials.

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