LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Jefferson County Public Schools bus driver is calling it quits after hitting it big on a Powerball ticket.
In a news release Wednesday, the Kentucky Lottery said James Keown has worked for JCPS for 11 years but retired this week after discovering he won $100,000.
"I called my boss on Sunday, and I told him, 'I hit the lottery and I'm not coming back,'" Keown told lottery officials. "I loved my job, but I'd been thinking about retiring for a while."
He bought the winning ticket from Circle K on Galene Drive in Louisville for the Aug. 19 drawing. The lucky ticket matched four white ball numbers and the Powerball to win the game's $50,000 prize. He chose to add the Power Play feature, which multiplied his winnings by the Power Play number drawn (2).
Keown said he checked the numbers on his phone several times when he saw all but one number matched. So he looked to see what he won.
"The first time, I saw I won $50,000 and then I thought, 'Wait a minute. I play the multiplier all the time,'" Keown said. "So I went back, and the multiplier was 2."
The real fun was telling his wife, Monta, who was "just over the moon and excited" for her husband.
"We had just gotten off the phone and then he texted for me to call him as soon as I could," Monta told lottery officials. "I panicked thinking something was wrong. He told me, 'I just paid off my bills.' I said, 'You did what?'"
Keown and his wife claimed the prize Monday. He walked away with a check for $71,500 after taxes.
The couple told lottery officials they have a weakness for disabled cats and plan to support their local kitten and cat rescue shelters. They also plan to buy a lake property.
Circle K will receive $1,000 for selling the winning ticket.
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