An Oak Grove woman says winning a $50,000 Kentucky Lottery prize felt like a dream come true — so much so that she kept the ticket in a personal place.
The woman, who chose to remain anonymous, bought the $30 $50,000 Ca$h Scratch-off ticket at Pal’s in Oak Grove after her son encouraged her to try it. When she scratched it off in the store, she immediately realized she had won the game’s top prize.
The pair said they were stunned by the win and double-checked it by scanning the ticket to confirm the $50,000 payout. The woman said the excitement was so overwhelming that she nearly fainted — and even did a little dance despite her bad hip and back.
The family decided to claim the prize the next day but debated where to keep the ticket overnight. While her son suggested locking it in the car, the winner said she felt better keeping it safely under her pillow.
After taxes, she took home about $36,000. She plans to use part of the winnings to help her grandchildren with college expenses and to contribute toward paying off her church’s van.
Pal’s of Oak Grove will receive a $500 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
The $50,000 Ca$h Scratch-off was released in July 2023. Five top prizes of $50,000 and 25 second-tier prizes of $5,000 remain.
In 2025, the Kentucky Lottery paid out more than $1.6 billion in prizes, with proceeds helping fund scholarships and grants for more than one million Kentucky students.
