Kentucky Lottery players kick off year with wins on ‘Instant Millionaire’ scratch-offs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Kentucky Lottery says players across the state rang in the new year with over $3.3 million in wins on scratch-off games.
According to the Kentucky Lottery, several lucky players from Muhlenberg to Pulaski counties came to Kentucky Lottery Headquarters on Jan. 1 to cash in their wins.
Pulaski County
Lottery officials say the first top prize winner, a Pulaski County man who told his story anonymously, credits his wife for stopping to buy a drink at Burnside Market BP in Burnside while they were heading back from Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.
“I asked the owner of the store for a suggestion, and he recommended the Instant Millionaire ticket because it was the first ticket on a new roll,” the man said.
The couple then realized they had won a prize but didn’t know the extent of it until they revealed the prize on the ticket for winning $3 million.
The man who claimed his ticket on Jan. 5 chose the $2 million lump sum option on the game instead of the 20-year-payment annuity, walking away with $1,450,000 after taxes.
The couple plans to put the money into savings.
Muhlenberg County
A Greenville man celebrated New Year’s Eve with a $50,000 win on a Kentucky Lottery scratch-off, lottery officials say.
“When I saw I won $10,000 in the bonus section, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t even finish scratching-off the ticket,” the man, who told his story anonymously, said.
Lottery officials say the man left Quality Quick in Owensboro, where he bought the ticket and went home to his end-of-year celebration with his family, including his wife, who he told on Jan. 1.
“She couldn’t believe it,” he said. “She was just as excited as me. Then she asked me if that was all I had won because she realized I hadn’t scratched off the rest of the ticket.”
He scratched off the rest of the ticket, and that’s when he realized they had won $50,000. The man claimed his ticket on Jan. 5 and took home $36,250 after taxes. He plans to pay off some bills and put the rest into savings.
Nelson County
A Nelson County man, who chose to remain anonymous, stopped at a local Five Star to cash in an Instant Millionaire Scratch-off ticket he won $200 on.
“My plan was to buy four more Instant Millionaire tickets but since there were only three left in the dispenser, I chose Millionaire Club for my fourth,” he said.
According to lottery officials, the man took his tickets home, where he scratched them off. That’s when he revealed a $10,000 win in the bonus area of the ticket, lottery officials say.
The man then uncovered more prizes, totaling his winnings to $50,000, or $36,250 after taxes. He claimed the ticket on Jan. 5.
“We (family) were all jumping up and down! You just can’t believe it when it happens,” the man said.
The Kentucky Lottery says it also cashed 15 large prize Millionaire Club winning tickets the first of the year totaling $190,000 and one $50,000 winning Instant Millionaire ticket.
Instant Millionaire has three $3 million top prizes and 30 $50,000 prizes remaining. Millionaire Club has one $1 million top prize and 56 $50,000 prizes remaining. The Kentucky Lottery’s third $50 ticket – $5,000,000 Fortune – has one $5 million top prize and five $50,000 prizes remaining.
