Kentucky man uses scratch-off winnings to buy another lottery ticket — a big winner

After using the winnings from one Kentucky Lottery scratch-off ticket to purchase another, a Ludlow man is considerably wealthier.

Albert Turner told lottery officials he used $10 of a $50 scratch-off ticket win earlier in August to purchase another ticket.

“I don’t always scratch them off, I just scan them,” Turner told officials, according to a Monday release. “I scanned it (the ticket), and it said ‘See Clerk Corp.’”

Though he first thought there was an error, in truth his winnings on the second ticket were so large he needed to collect them direct from Kentucky Lottery’s Louisville headquarters. He discovered this when he scratched the Cash Blast ticket, finding wins on all 21 spots — worth a whopping $175,000.

“I couldn’t catch my breath,” he said. “I ran home and signed the back of it,” which is the procedure for those who hold winning tickets.

All the $175,000-top prizes have been claimed on Cash Blast as of Monday, according to the Kentucky Lottery’s website. Most prizes range from $10 to $25, and the overall odds of any win on the game are 1 in 3.19.

Turner couldn’t wait to share the good news, however, sharing his joy on social media the next day and telling his wife, “I hit it big! I hit big.”

“My heart was crawling out of my throat,” he said.

Turner said he hasn’t been able to sleep since his big win, which amounted to a check for $123,000 after taxes. With the money, he and his wife plan to pay bills and enjoy a vacation.

The vendor that sold the winning ticket, the Riverside Marketplace in Ludlow, received a $1,750 bonus.

Turner isn’t the only luck Kentucky Lottery player lately. Last week, the lottery announced a man who had played the same numbers for 10 years secured a $225,000 win on Cash Ball 225.

If you or someone you know has a problem gambling, help is available at 1-800-522-4700.

Do you have a question about the Kentucky Lottery for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.