Kentuckians bring in over $3M in scratch-off prizes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WBKO) - Kentucky Lottery players from across the state rang in the new year with more than $3.3 million in wins on $50 Millionaire-themed scratch-off games.

Several players came to Kentucky Lottery Headquarters in Louisville to cash in their big wins.

Pulaski County

A Pulaski County man went into a store for a drink, but left a millionaire after winning the first top prize on Instant Millionaire.

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, stopped Burnside Market BP in Burnside to get a drink for his wife. The couple had returned from Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, per the release.

“I asked the owner of the store for a suggestion, and he recommended the Instant Millionaire ticket because it was the first ticket on a new roll,” the man said.

The couple knew they had won a prize when they matched the number 20 on the game.

At first, the couple thought they had gotten $100, but it wasn’t until they revealed the prize on the ticket that they realized they had won $3 million.

On Jan. 5, the man claimed his ticket and chose the $2 million lump sum option on the game instead of the 20-year payment annuity, walking away with $1,450,000 after taxes.

The couple plan to put the money into their savings.

Muhlenberg County

A Greenville man celebrated New Year’s Eve with what he thought was a $10,000 win on the Kentucky Lottery’s Millionaire Club Scratch-off.

“When I saw I won $10,000 in the bonus section, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t even finish scratching-off the ticket,” said the man.

According to the release, he Quality Quick in Owensboro where he bought the ticket and went home to his end-of-year celebration with his family.

Then when the clock struck and began the new year, he told his wife the good news.

“She couldn’t believe it. She was just as excited as me. Then she asked me if that was all I had won because she realized I hadn’t scratched off the rest of the ticket,” he recalled.

He scratched off the rest of the ticket and that’s when they realized they had won $50,000.

The man claimed his ticket on Jan. 5, and took home $36,250 after taxes.

He plans to pay off some bills and put the rest into savings.

Nelson County

A Nelson County man found a bigger prize waiting for him after looking to cash on a scratch-off ticket.

The man, who chose to remain anonymous, stopped at a local Five Star to cash in an Instant Millionaire Scratch-off ticket he won $200 on.

“My plan was to buy four more Instant Millionaire tickets but since there were only three left in the dispenser, I chose Millionaire Club for my fourth,” he said.

The man took his tickets home where he scratched them off. It was on the Millionaire Club ticket that he revealed a $10,000 win in the bonus area.

As he continued to scratch more of the ticket off, he uncovered four 500X symbols each with $20 prizes, totaling his winnings to $50,000. He walked away with $36,250 after taxes.

“We (family) were all jumping up and down! You just can’t believe it when it happens,” the man said.

The Kentucky Lottery also cashed 15 large prize Millionaire Club winning tickets the first of the year totaling $190,000, and one $50,000 winning Instant Millionaire ticket.

Remaining Prizes

• Instant Millionaire has three $3 million top prizes and 30 $50,000 prizes remaining.
• Millionaire Club has one $1 million top prize and 56 $50,000 prizes remaining.
• The Kentucky Lottery’s third $50 ticket – $5,000,000 Fortune – has one $5 million top prize and five $50,000 prizes remaining.

In 2025, the Kentucky Lottery paid out more than $1.6 billion in prizes, per the release. Kentucky Lottery proceeds have funded scholarships and grants for over 1.1 million Kentucky college students.