LOUISVILLE, Ky. — One lucky Kentucky man just took home more than $500,000 in the lottery.
Jeffrey Yeager is an "avid Kentucky Lottery player" but mostly sticks to playing Scratch-offs, according to a news release.
Lottery officials said Yeager won playing Kentucky 5, a draw game that boasts a Kentucky exclusive rolling jackpot. The jackpot was up to $530,000 when Yeager’s Quick-Pick ticket matched all five numbers in the Jan. 20 drawing.
Yeager said he put $6 into a Kentucky Lottery vending machine at a Circle K near his home.
“I put six dollars into the machine, and they didn’t have a dollar scratch-off,” he said. “I thought, 'Well, let’s try this one.”
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Yeager said he scanned his ticket the next day and saw four magic words appear on his vending machine screen: Visit Kentucky Lottery Headquarters.
That's when he knew it was something big.
“Everybody probably overheard me scream,” Yeager said. “A woman came up to me and said, ‘Honey, are you ok?’ And, I said, ‘Yes, ma’am. I’m great!’”
Yeager told officials he had big wins in the past, but nothing compared to the jackpot win.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “There’s no way this is real!”
Lottery officials said he and his wife, Kim, drove to several lottery retailers and scanned the winning ticket to make sure it was real.
“Maybe, I’m just dreaming and haven’t woken up yet,” he said. “I never thought in my life that I’d have this much money. I needed it.”
Lottery officials said Yeager plans to use some of the winnings to put a down payment on a house.
“I might even get me a diesel truck,” Yeager said.
After taxes, Jeffrey and Kim walked away with $381,600. Officials said Circle K in Versailles will receive $5,300 for selling the winning ticket.
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