Man wins largest online Instant Play prize in history of Kentucky Lottery

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WBKO) – One Eastern Kentucky man has made history by winning the largest online Instant Play prize in the history of the Kentucky Lottery.

This marks the first time a Kentucky player has claimed the Mega Money Jackpot, a linked Progressive jackpot pool that is funded by multiple states and is currently featured on two Kentucky Lottery games: Jackpot Spectacular and Outlaw’s Loot.

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, told lottery officials that before heading to a doctor’s appointment last week, he pulled up the Kentucky Lottery app on his phone and wagered $5 on the Jackpot Spectacular Instant Play game. According to the release, that play ended with him winning the $859,001.91 Mega Jackpot.

“Something was telling me to jump on and play,” he said in a release.

He said he was down to three chances remaining and on the second one, it hit.

“The Mega kept coming up and I was like, ‘no way, no way, no way and BAM! I just kept looking at it, I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “There’s no way I won that!”

He then checked his email and saw a confirmation email from the Kentucky Lottery informing him of his big win.

“I was crying, laughing,” he said. “I just kept thanking God, blessing me the way he did.”

He headed to the lottery headquarters in Louisville where he received a check for $618,481.37 after taxes.

He told officials he plans to pay off his son and daughter-in-law’s house.

“They work hard, and it will take a burden off of them,” he said in a release. He also plans the invest and donate some of his winnings to charity.

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