KY man occasionally wins gas money playing lottery. This time it was a much larger prize

A regular lottery player in Eastern Kentucky recently made a bit more than his typical gas money win, thanks to a $30 scratch-off ticket.

The Pikeville man, who asked Kentucky Lottery to remain anonymous, stopped at the Food City on Cassidy Boulevard to fill his tank ahead of a trip, snagging a Kentucky Jackpot scratch-off ticket during his stop.

He usually goes in for a $20 or $30 ticket, he told lottery officials, according to a Feb. 28 release.

“Lots of times I’ve won $100 or $200,” he said, per the release. “I like to take a chance and maybe earn some gas money.”

He scratched the ticket, only to learn money for gas wouldn’t be a problem. He matched the No. 27 on the ticket, securing the game’s top, $3 million prize.

He couldn’t believe it, and he scanned his ticket to double check.

“This morning sometime, I began to believe it,” he told Kentucky Lottery officials when collecting his winnings Feb. 6.

In Kentucky Jackpot, players scratch their ticket hoping to match their 30 numbers to one of 10 winning numbers. Prizes range from $30 to the $3 million top prize, though most winnings are between $30 and $100. The odds of any win on the game are 1 in 2.45. One top prize remains as of Feb. 27.

The man opted for the lump sum payout of $2.04 million, walking away with a cool $1,468,800 after taxes. He plans to use it to pay off debt, he told lottery officials.

The Food City was also a winner, getting a $20,400 bonus for selling the ticket.

Kentucky Lottery has reported several big winners recently, including a Lexington couple who recently took home a $50,000 Powerball win.

If you or someone you know has a problem gambling, help is available at 1-800-522-4700.

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