Kentucky preschool teacher plans to buy a car after big lottery win

KENTUCKY ( FOX 56 ) — A northern Kentucky preschool teacher won big in August.

The Kentucky Lottery said McKenzie Florence, from Ft. Thomas, downloaded the Kentucky Lottery app and played an online game for the first time on Aug. 13.

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“I had just downloaded the app because I saw an advertisement,” Florence told lottery officials.

Two weeks later, on Aug. 26 ^th , Florence won the $178,919.05 jackpot after wagering $10 on the Bankroll Jackpot Instant Play game.

“I hit the button and played and it [prize amount] popped up,” she said.  “I didn’t think much about it.  I’m like, ‘I’ll wait until I get home to look at it.’ It didn’t seem real.”

Later that day, Florence read an email she had received from the Kentucky Lottery informing her of the big win.

Florence then called her mom to tell her the surprising news.

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“I was at work, and she called. She never calls me at work unless there’s something wrong.  So, I immediately was like, ‘What is wrong?” Her mom told lottery officials.  “No, no, no, it’s good. I won the lottery!” her daughter told her.

“I made her call the lottery twice this week just to make sure it was real,” her mom said. “Until we were sitting here with you [lottery official], we 100% didn’t believe it.”

Florence made the drive to lottery headquarters in Louisville with her parents on Aug. 30, where after taxes, she walked away with a check for $128,821.72

“It’s life-changing,” she said.

The Campbell County woman told officials her winnings would allow her to buy a car and help pay for her college tuition.

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