Years of work and single parenting melted away for a Northern Kentucky man when a quick work break turned into a life-changing lottery win.
“This is a clean slate,” he said, after winning more than $600,000 playing the Kentucky Lottery’s Viking Gold Instant Play game online.
The winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he took a break from work and decided to play online. That’s when the big win happened.
“I was exhausted, but decided to play a little,” the winner recalled. “I hit for $100, cashed it out, played on the winnings, and then it just happened — boom, boom, boom — the jackpot hit on a two-dollar bet!”
Moments after the win, he called his girlfriend, who was driving at the time.
“I told her to pull over and look at the screenshot [of the win],” he said with a laugh. “She didn’t believe me at first.”
A regular player, he had tried Viking Gold.
“I played it previously and never netted anything crazy, but I thought, ‘It’s a jackpot game,’” he said. “I clicked on it, got nine hammers, and I was like, ‘Oh my God!’”
That’s the moment he realized he had just won $605,432.76.
After sharing the news with his girlfriend, the single father of two said he had a hard time sleeping that night; his mind racing as he prepared to drive to Kentucky Lottery headquarters the next morning to claim his winnings.
“I’ve worked hard my whole life,” he shared. “This is a blessing on top of that. I want my kids to see what’s possible when you stay the course.”
He plans to use the winnings to create stability for his family, including paying off his mother’s mortgage and moving into a larger home so his children can each have their own room.
“I can finally give my kids the kind of Christmases and family vacations I always wanted to provide,” the winner said. “There were times when family members had to help with Christmas because I couldn’t afford it. Now I can say, ‘I got it.’”
After taxes, the winner will receive $438,938.76. He described the win as a sign of validation after years of perseverance as a single parent.
