LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two people in Louisville have claimed a $1 million lottery ticket, Kentucky Lottery officials said.
The man and woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said they have been friends since high school and share many memories together over the years, but none are as memorable as winning the lottery.
According to lottery officials, the pair needed to stop for gas after an evening out. Since their go-to gas station was crowded, they decided to stop at the Five Star on Cane Run Road in Louisville.
The woman told officials she wanted to buy Mega Millions tickets before the drawing and her friend gave her $5. She bought two $2 tickets and let the computer pick her winning numbers.
Saturday morning, officials said the man grabbed the tickets off the refrigerator and checked the winning numbers.
"I saw we matched the five numbers, but I wasn't sure how much we had won," he said. "I called my friend, and as soon as I told her, she knew right away it was for a million dollars."
Lottery officials said the woman was in disbelief until her friend sent her a picture of the winning ticket so she could see it for herself.
"Everything that day came into place, timing was everything," the man said. "If we had stopped at the original store, who knows if we would have had those same numbers. It's an absolute blessing."
They each received a check for $375,500 after taxes, officials said.
So what are they going to do with their big winnings? The man said he plans to put his money towards buying a place to live and a car. The woman said winning the million dollars is a "big deal" and helps prepare her for retirement.
Five Star will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning tickets.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.