VERSAILLES, Ky. (WKYT) – A Versailles man’s Valentine’s Day got a little sweeter after a Kentucky Lottery Scratch-off ticket he purchased netted $50,000.

Jimmy Tate stopped at the Kroger in Versailles during lunch on Wednesday and bought Scratch offs as a gift for his wife to celebrate the holiday.  He also decided to purchase a $30 $50,000 Cash ticket for himself.

“I actually stopped at the machine to get her a couple tickets for Valentine’s, and I decided to buy that one,” he said.

Tate told lottery officials he will usually scratch his tickets off in his truck, scratching the numbers off first and then going back to reveal the prize amounts.

“I could tell the numbers were matching up, and I was like, this is a big winner, so I went home to finish scratching.”

Tate told his wife when he got home that he had already matched six numbers and won $2,000 and thought it was going to be a bigger winner.  As he continued to scratch, Tate discovered he had won the game’s $50,000 top prize.

“My wife was as excited as I was,” Tate said. “I couldn’t believe it.  I’ve hit $1,000 and $2,000, but the $50,000, I just couldn’t believe it, and I was nervous as it was.”

The Woodford County man received his check for $36,000 later that afternoon at Kentucky Lottery headquarters.  He told officials he and his wife plan to pay off bills and put some of the winnings towards the purchase of a house.

Kroger will receive $500 for selling the winning ticket.

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