Kentucky

With a carton of eggs in hand, KY woman secures a meme-worthy online lottery win

A Perry County woman won more than $281,000 with a lucky play of a Kentucky Lottery game, the agency announced in a news release March 28.

Hazel Morris and her husband, Dale, both of the Chavies community in Perry County, drove to Kentucky Lottery headquarters March 19 to collect her winnings.

When she arrived, the lottery said, Hazel Morris was carrying a carton of eggs.

It was a reference to an internet meme she’d been sharing with friends prior to her win. It showed an open refrigerator packed with nothing but eggs and stated, “I wouldn’t tell anyone I won the lottery, but there will be signs.”

Hazel Morris poses with her husband Dale, showing off a large check made out with their Kentucky Lottery winnings. Hazel Morris won more than $281,000 playing the Elephant King instant play game.
Hazel Morris poses with her husband, Dale, showing off a large check made out with their Kentucky Lottery winnings. Hazel Morris won more than $281,000 playing the Elephant King instant play game. Kentucky Lottery

Morris landed the win by playing the Kentucky Lottery’s Elephant King instant play game. The game is notable in that it has three different progressive jackpots of $500, $5,000 and $250,000.

With her jackpot win of $281,651.41, Morris can now afford all the eggs she wants. After taxes, she collected a check for $202,789.01, according to the release.

For 22 years, Hazel Morris has worked in the kitchen at the Paul E. Patton Eastern Kentucky Veterans Center.

“I plan to pay off my bills and use the money as a cushion for retirement. It’s not enough to retire on, but it will certainly help,” she said.

Hazel Morris also plans to help her children and people who have supported her and her husband.

“She does a lot in the community and helps out,” Dale Morris said. “It’s well deserved.”

Hazel Morris isn’t the only big-ticket Kentucky Lottery winner recently. Also in March, an Estill County woman won $100,000 on her first Powerball play.

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

Do you have a question about the Kentucky Lottery for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.

Aaron Mudd
Lexington Herald-Leader
Aaron Mudd was a service journalism reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader, Centre Daily Times and Belleville News-Democrat. He was based at the Herald-Leader in Lexington, and left the paper in February 2026. Support my work with a digital subscription
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