LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) – After just five drawings, the first winner of the new Kentucky-only draw game, Kentucky 5, has its first winner.
On Friday, a Louisville man bought a ticket at Kader’s Market on Muhammad Ali Boulevard and went on to match all five numbers needed to win the game’s first jackpot. The Kentucky 5 jackpot starts at $40,000 but had grown to $60,000 by Friday.
“I wasn’t aware there was a new game until the clerk told me about it. I didn’t know how to play so he gave me a Quick Pick,” the winner said. “I went back to see how much I had won when he (store clerk) said, ‘Look, you won sixty thousand dollars.’ I normally get excited but this time I was just calm,” he told lottery officials.
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The Kentucky Lottery office reported that after taxes, the man received $42,600 and said he plans to pay off bills and get his car fixed. Kader’s Market will receive a $600 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
“Research and game development with our players and retail partners showed us a need for the excitement of a rolling jackpot game available only in Kentucky. We delivered and are thrilled to have our first jackpot winner during our first week of sales,” said Kentucky Lottery President and CEO Mary R Harville.
The jackpot is now reset, and Kentuckians wishing to play can select five numbers between 1 to 39. The game has two other ways to win: players can match three numbers to win $5 or four numbers to win $250. Drawings take place every night at 11 p.m. eastern time or 10 p.m. central time.
Currently, Kentuckians need to buy their tickets from a Kentucky Lottery vendor to play, but on Dec. 5, the new Kentucky 5 game will also be available online.