‘I’m excited to get out of debt’: 2 Kentucky lottery players win over $200k

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Two men from Paris, Kentucky took home a combined total of over $200,000 playing the lottery.

One player who wished to remain anonymous took home a $50,000 Powerball prize, while the other won $154,977 on the Fast Play Jackpot 777′s game.

Kentucky Lottery officials said the man who won $50,000 was getting ready to mow his grass when he decided to check his ticket.

“I was sitting in my yard when I looked up the winning numbers on my phone,” he said. He was only one number away from winning the $960 million jackpot.

After finding out just how much he won, the man took his wife on a surprise visit to the Kentucky Lottery headquarters.

“It’s my birthday,” he told lottery officials. “I don’t think I can get a better present than this.”

Lottery officials said it wasn’t until the man handed the ticket over that his wife realized how much he had won.

“I started crying,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it.”

The couple said they would pay off bills with the $35,750 he received after taxes.

“I’m ecstatic,” he said. “I’m excited to get out of debt.” The Speedway on Main Street where the winning ticket was sold will receive $500.

The second man had won $154,977 playing a Fast Play Jackpot 777′s ticket.

Before collecting their winnings, Charlie McCann and his brother Steven were at the Circle K on Lacy Lane in Paris when Steven went inside to buy lottery tickets.

“I play Scratch-offs every day and I had $2 left on the machine,” Steven said. “So I thought, let’s get a Fast Play.”

He told lottery officials he doesn’t play Fast Play often, but this time when he walked out of the store, he looked at the ticket and saw three sevens.

“I couldn’t even see the legend, but I saw up at the top it said Jackpot,” Steven said. “I was sitting in the car, and I told Charlie, I think we’ve won a couple thousand dollars.”

Steven went back inside to check and see how much he had won.

“I took off and went outside, and I told Charlie, we just won $154,977,” Steven said.

“I was excited about it,” Charlie said.

After taxes, they received a check for $110,808.55.  Charlie told officials he plans to buy a new car and will help his niece by providing her with some financial assistance.

Circle K will receive $1,549.77 for selling the winning ticket.

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