LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Lexington man won big during the holidays by playing the Kentucky Lottery.
Jeffery Goree works as a driver for UPS. He travels to Beckley, West Virginia five days a week, but stops in Kentucky to buy Powerball tickets. Goree has been playing Powerball since it started, according to lottery officials.
He also participates in two groups that go in together to purchase Powerball and Mega Millions tickets.
Goree purchased the winning Powerball ticket at Clark's Pump-N-Shop on Versailles Road in Lexington for Dec. 14 drawing. But Goree checked his ticket several days later and discovered his ticket matched four white balls and the Powerball to win $50,000.
According to a news release, Goree had taken Mega Millions tickets he purchased for the group and the $10 Powerball ticket he bought for himself to a local Marathon station in Lawrenceburg to check for wins.
"I was checking them. I had about 15 tickets to check and was down to the last two tickets," Goree said to lottery officials. "It showed, ‘Congratulations, you won $50,000, contact KLC Corp’. I said, 'Man this machine is messed up.' I scanned it again. I’m like nah, this machine is messed up."
Then, Goree took the ticket to the store clerk.
"I said, 'Man, your machine is saying I won $50,000. Could you scan it,'" Goree asked the store clerk. "Next thing I know he’s telling me, 'Congratulations.'"
Goree said, "All I could do was stand there and cry."
He visited Kentucky Lottery headquarters in Louisville to claim his winning ticket. He received a check for $36,000 after taxes.
When lottery officials asked what Goree would do with his winnings, he replied, "I would give this money up if I could get just one more Christmas with my mother."
His mother died three years ago, and enjoyed playing Scratch-off tickets.
"That’s why I stopped," he said. "I would usually be getting Scratch-off tickets, so I’ll go in here and check these tickets."
Goree plans to pay off his RV and put the rest of the money in the bank.
Clark's Pump-N-Shop will receive $500 for selling the winning ticket.
Related Coverage:
- 'My heart dropped' | Nicholasville man wins $50,000 playing Kentucky Lottery
- $50,000 winning Powerball ticket sold at Kroger in Louisville
- $50,000 winning Powerball ticket sold at Kroger in Louisville on Monday
- Bullitt County couple wins $50K with Kentucky Lottery scratch-off surprise
- Winner comes forward to claim $10 million Powerball Double Play prize on ticket sold in Oldham County
Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
