Friday the 13th proves very lucky for one jackpot-winning Kentucky Lottery player
A man from Bardstown recently won more than half a million dollars playing Kentucky Lottery’s online Kentucky 5 jackpot game, according to a Wednesday press release from the organization.
The man, who asked lottery officials to stay anonymous, said he has been playing the lottery for 40 years.
“It’s about time,” the man said, per the release. “When I saw the jackpot was hit, I checked my email spam folder because I had heard that had happened to another winner recently. I saw an email that said I had won, and I thought, ‘I think I won.’”
Both he and his wife were in disbelief over the $510,000 pre-tax win.
“We were having our morning coffee, and when he showed me the email, I about spit out my coffee,” his wife said. “We sat there for two hours checking the numbers over and over again.”
Kentucky 5 is an exclusive jackpot game launched in November 2022. It tasks players with picking five numbered balls from 1 to 39 or using a quick-pick option. Plays are $1, and you can purchase additional multipliers.
The odds of a jackpot win matching all five balls are 1 in 575,757, according to the game’s rules.
To add to the excitement, the Bardstown man won Friday, Oct. 13. His winning numbers were 1, 20, 25, 30 and 34.
“I usually steer away from the number 13 but not now,” the man said.
The couple said they’re planning to use the money for home renovations and retirement, and the man said this win makes him want to play the online game even more.
“I played this morning before we came here,” the man told lottery officials. “And I check my spam folder a lot more often, too.”
After taxes, the man collected $364,650.
If you or someone you know has a problem gambling, help is available at 1-800-522-4700.
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