Owensboro man wins $50K Powerball prize, just one number away from jackpot

OWENSBORO, Ky. – An Owensboro, Kentucky man is celebrating a $50,000 Powerball win.

According to a release by the Kentucky Lottery, the man, who wishes to remain anonymous, was one number from winning the $203 million jackpot in the May 4 drawing.

The man reportedly told lottery officials he is not an avid lottery player, but something caused him to purchase a ticket for that night’s drawing.

“I was walking out of the store, and I thought, ‘hold on,’” he said. “Let me get one of those quick picks, I have to get one.”

The man said he had just returned from a trip from out of state to visit family and that his Powerball win happened at the right time.

“It’s been a pretty bad week,” the man said. “Two of my vehicles went down, and my furnace went out.”

Lottery officials say he had no idea he had won the game’s third prize until he checked his tickets the next night.

At first, the man thought one of his children may have been playing a prank on him when he saw the winning numbers, the release states.

“It took me a few minutes to double check it,” he said. “I had to do a double take, then a triple take. I was like, ‘oh my goodness, oh my goodness!’”

After he realized he had won, the man said he couldn’t wait to head to lottery headquarters to claim his winnings.

The Daviess County man traveled to Louisville, Kentucky earlier this month to claim his ticket and walked away with a check for $36,000.

As for the winnings, he plans to purchase a new truck and use the rest to pay off his home.

“This win came in at a great time,” he said.

Quality Convenience in Owensboro, where the winning ticket was sold, will receive $500.