Morehead man ‘blacked out’ after revealing $225K lottery win

MOREHEAD, Ky. (FOX 56) — A Morehead man won $225,000 playing the Kentucky lottery.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he bought three scratch-off tickets at Qulity Mart on US 68 in Maysville when he stopped for gas on his way to work.

Lottery officials said he won $50 on each of the first two tickets and thought he would be taking home $100 until he got to the last row of numbers on his $10 $225,000 PAYDAY scratch-off.  

“I’m sure everyone has a way that they scratch off a ticket,” he told lottery officials. “I like to scratch the winning numbers at the top and go from there. I saw that ‘38’ was a winner, and as these zeros kept appearing, I knew this was going to be a big prize.” 

The twenty-something health care worker said it took him about 10 minutes to realize that he had won the top prize of $225,000.

Sitting in his car at the gas pump, he said, “I just blacked out for a minute.” 

He said he drove to work, secured and signed the winning ticket, and when he got home, he put it in his gun safe.

“I was anxious all day at work but felt better once I got it home and in my safe,” he said.

The following day, he drove to the Kentucky Lottery to claim his prize, walking away with $162,000 after taxes.

The Kentucky Lottery said he had planned to be on a small vacation with friends.

“I figured I better sit tight and come cash this ticket,” he said.

According to a news release, he plans to take his fiancée and son on a summer vacation and put some of the winnings toward their son’s college fund.

Quality Mart will receive $1,620 for selling the winning ticket.  

The $10 $225,000 PAYDAY has two top-tier prizes and three $1,000 prizes left. There are nearly 2,000 $500 prizes still available in the game.