Game had first jackpot winner in just five days
By Kate Northrop
Last Monday, the Kentucky Lottery officially conducted the first drawing for its new in-state daily jackpot game, Kentucky 5.
Kentucky 5 is the latest game to be added to the list of available games in the state of Kentucky, and the Lottery is already celebrating the game's first jackpot winner.
"Our players love jackpots, and we hear often that they want a game that is just played in Kentucky," Lottery President and CEO Mary Harville said. "We've developed a game our players will enjoy playing, and those additional sales will benefit students. This will be a win-win for Kentucky!"
At $1 a play, players select five numbers between 1 and 39 or may select the Quick Pick option to have the computer randomly generate five numbers.
Beating the odds of 1 in 575,757 by matching all five winning numbers will win the jackpot, which starts at $40,000 and increases by a minimum of $5,000 when there is no jackpot winner. Expected sales may also impact the size of the jackpot.
According to the Lottery, the prize money allocated to the jackpot is divided on a pari-mutuel basis by the number of Kentucky 5 plays winning the jackpot.
Players may also add the Xtra feature to their ticket for an extra $1 per play for a chance to multiply winnings, excluding the jackpot and the fixed $2 prize from matching two numbers.
Tickets may be purchased at any of the Lottery's retailers and will soon be available to play online, the Lottery said in a press release.
The first drawing took place at 11:00 pm ET (10:00 pm CT) on Mon., Nov. 21. After just five Kentucky 5 drawings, the game produced its first winner, a man from Louisville who won the $60,000 jackpot on Fri., Nov. 28.
"Research and game development with our players and retail partners showed us a need for the excitement of a rolling jackpot game available only in Kentucky," Harville explained. "We delivered and are thrilled to have our first jackpot winner during our first week of sales."
On Friday, the anonymous winner bought a Kentucky 5 ticket at Kaders Market on Muhammad Ali Boulevard in Louisville but originally did not know that there was a new game for sale.
"I wasn't aware there was a new game until the clerk told me about it," the winner told the Lottery. "I didn't know how to play so he gave me a Quick Pick."
"I went back to see how much I had won when [the store clerk] said, 'Look, you won sixty thousand dollars.' I normally get excited, but this time I was just calm," he continued.
The total take-home after taxes was $42,600, which the Jefferson County man says he'll use to pay bills and repair his car. Kaders Market will also receive a $600 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
The Kentucky 5 jackpot currently stands at $55,000 for the drawing on Tues., Nov. 29.
Kentucky 5 drawings take place every day at 11:00 pm ET, or 10:00 pm CT. The winning numbers, jackpot, and prize amounts can be found on Lottery Post's Kentucky Lottery Results page.
Not bad for 1 dollar............$42,000 cash could by a lot of early Christmas presents.
I like this game...though nothing won yet. Cheap @ a dollar.
Sure wish wasn't in FB jail to read about this...the haters will say 'Always Louisville'!
Ohio's Rolling Cash 5 is a 5/39 game with the same 575,757 outcomes, tickets are $1, it's jackpot starts at $100,000, pays $300 compared to KYs $250 for matching 4 numbers, $10 compared to $5 for matching 3 numbers and $1 for matching 2 while KY pays nothing.
For an extra buck the Kentucky version has a none jackpot multiplier and that's a plus. Michigan's 5/39 Fantasy 5 only pays $100 for matching four numbers and after looking at other state 5/39 games, it's not "one size fits all".
Michigans game started in 1992 as "Cash 5" with fixed prizes 3-$20 4-$350 and 5-$100,000.
Sometime around 2000 it was changed to "Rolldown" and selldom got above $10k or $20k because the money rolled down to the lower tiers. The current iteration came in 2005 when it went to a jackpot game and pays out 2-$1 3-$10 4-$100 and 5 Jackpot. The jackpot as of today is $505k
I was hoping they would have a five digit pick 5 game because they already have lots of jackpot games. They have a 4/35 + 1/25 Cash Ball 225 with a fixed $225,000 jackpot for $1 dollar at ticket so it seems strange to start another jackpot game will a much smaller pari-mutual jackpot.
Michigan always had very playable games.
The RNG felt generous last night. A rarity...two folks hit for $225K on Cashball 225. Must be the Christmas spirit.
Matched two numbers on one ticket and the bonus number on the other. Not exactly $225,000 but a buck and a free QP keeps me playing.
At least you won something! $4 on L4L for me last night and somebody won $70K on the newest lottery.
Did you see that the winning ticket for KY 5 sold in Louisville, and both Cashball 225 won @ the same store in Louisville? The haters will rant on FB over this!
looks like someone played the same numbers twice.
100% in agreement, same store, same #'s. Guess the RNG computer didn't catch this???
We'll never know who it was unless they do a photo-op which has been less and less frequent as I'm sure you noticed.
Not a fan of new game, congrats to winner. The only way is to win jackpot. Other ways to win are very very small.
Nice! A guy years ago played his numbers 5 times, and won! Nice payout. Was another state
In 2001 an Ohio Player purchased 52 Buckeye 5 tickets all with the same numbers and won. He didn't know there was a $1 million payout limit and sued the lottery and the store where he purchased the tickets.
Another player had one winning tickets for the same drawing and the lottery awarded them the full $100,000 jackpot prize.
Gee I wonder if they have some relation to a lottery employee or politician.
/s