Kentucky man bet $5 on a lunch break lottery game. It won him a 5-figure prize
Campbellsville resident Braxton Skaggs lucked out playing a lottery game on his phone on his lunch break recently, and ended up winning more than he originally thought.
Skaggs told Kentucky Lottery officials he put $50 on his online account to play, and bet $5 on the Triple Platinum Instant Play game.
“I just had a feeling,” Skaggs told lottery officials. “I’m going to get on and give it a try.”
The odds of winning $30,000 from the game are 1 in 2 million, according to Kentucky Lottery.
“Whenever it hit, it said $20,000 but then went into the bonus game and ended up with $30,000,” Skaggs said. “I just couldn’t believe it. Felt like [I] was living a dream.”
The Campbellsville resident went to Kentucky Lottery headquarters May 30 to claim his prize, and he took home a check for $21,600 after taxes.
Skaggs plans to put his cash toward a down payment on a house he plans to build, he told lottery officials.
In the Triple Platinum instant play game, players win prizes by revealing platinum bar symbols. If they reveal a double bar symbol the prize is doubled, and a tripe bar symbol triples the prize. When a player reveals three or more platinum ring symbols, the bonus game is unlocked, giving players a chance to spin the wheel and win more prizes, lottery officials said in a Tuesday press release.
In fiscal year 2024, 70% of Kentucky Lottery proceeds went to winners, 20% went to the commonwealth for college scholarships and grant programs, 5% went to retailers and 5% went toward administrative costs, the organization reports.
If you or someone you know has a problem gambling, help is available by calling 1-800-522-4700.
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