Man wins big in Kentucky 5 drawing: ‘I had to read it twice’

LOUISVILLE, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — A Kentucky man has won a staggering prize after playing Kentucky 5.

The Kentucky Lottery said James Smith, of Bardstown, won the June 26 Jackpot of the $690,369 jackpot after a ticket he bought online matched the five numbers drawn.

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He said he has only been playing Kentucky 5 for a couple of months and always purchases two $5 Quick Pick tickets.

The morning after he bought his tickets, he learned he won while checking his email.

“I was excited! I yelled for her [girlfriend].  She didn’t know what was going on,” Smith told lottery officials.

“I didn’t believe him,” his girlfriend said.  “I had to read it twice and she had to read it [email] twice,” Smith added.

“I couldn’t go back to sleep and then I had to go to work,” he said.

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Smith wanted to be sure to tell his family first about his big win, waking his mom up with the news.  “She thought I was lying at first.”

“Everyone was happy for me,” he said.

Smith went to the lottery headquarters in Louisville with his mom and girlfriend and walked away with a check for $497,065.68 after taxes.

Smith told officials he had no immediate plans for his winnings and would be placing them in his savings account for now.

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