A Lebanon, Kentucky, man had weight lifted off his shoulders after winning a $75,000 Kentucky Lottery Scratch-off prize.
Christopher Knopp was running errands for his mom recently when he decided to buy the $5 Cash Eruption Scratch-off ticket from the Five Star on Main Street in Lebanon.
"I saw a guy in front of me buy the same ticket and told him, 'Man, you’re lucky,'" Knopp said.
He decided to purchase the same ticket and scratched off the barcode. When he scanned it, he saw the message that displays when a large prize is won. He thought, 'I've hit something BIG!'
Once he verified that it was a large win, he discovered he won the $75,000 top prize.
"This is unbelievable!" he said.
Knopp believes karma may have had something to do with his win. He previously won $20 on a Bingo Scratch-off ticket and gave it to someone who was having trouble at an ATM.
"I told him to just pay me back if he could," Knopp said.
With that returned $20, Knopp purchased his winning Scratch-off ticket.
"My Granddad always told me to do right by people," he said.
Knopp said he told his friend, mom and wife, who are all still in disbelief.
"(My wife) worries about me," she said. "She says I give too much."
This win comes at a great time for Knopp and his wife as they have had some tough times in the last few months.
"I’m very optimistic and I just knew things were going to work out," he said.
Knopp received a check for $53,625 after taxes and said he plans to get a house and pay off debt with the winnings.
"This is like a weight lifted off my shoulders," he told lottery officials.
Five Star will receive $750 for selling the winning ticket.
For more information on scratch-offs, visit https://bit.ly/3Mn3vhW.
