From $50 to $2 million: Kentucky man misses Mega Millions jackpot by one number, wins $2 million instead

Lottery dreams turned into reality for a Kentucky man who transformed a routine visit to a local gas station into a $2 million windfall. Although he narrowly missed the $125 million Mega Millions jackpot, the win still changed his life. The Kentucky lottery participant came within a single number of securing a huge Mega Millions jackpot but secured a seven-figure payout.

Where and How the Winning Ticket Was Purchased

According to a release from Kentucky Lottery officials, the $2 million winning ticket was purchased at a Racetrac gas station on Bizzack Boulevard in Frankfort. The winner, a local resident who opted to be anonymous, chose numbers associated with personal family milestones, which includes birthdates, WKYT reported.

Just One Number Short of the Jackpot

Those selections almost paid off in historic fashion. The ticket fell just one number short of the projected $125 million jackpot from the Dec. 26 drawing. Even so, the participant matched all five white balls, 9, 19, 31, 63 and 64 securing a $2 million reward through the game’s 2X Multiplier option.

Discovering the Win

The finding of the win came days later when the man came back to the store to verify his tickets. As he described to lottery officials, the initial ticket scanned featured a modest payout. The second, however, offered a surprise.

“I scanned the next one and it said $2 million,” the winner remembered. “It took me a second to digest it.”

The Immediate Reaction

Overwhelmed by the moment, he mentioned that he departed the store immediately.

The man stated that he then left the store “without checking the rest of the tickets,” according to WKYT.

The unexpected fortune left him astonished.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” he acknowledged. “I dreamed that I would win. It was a shock to me although I was looking forward to winning one of these days.”

Claiming the Prize

After taking many days to process the news, the winner formally secured his prize. Following taxes, he got a check totaling $1,450,000 and shared plans to use a portion of his winnings for travel, lottery authorities stated.

FAQs:

Q1. What is Mega Millions?
Mega Millions is a multi-state lottery game in the United States. Participants choose numbers for an opportunity to win large cash prizes.

Q2. When was the winning ticket purchased?
The ticket was purchased on Dec. 26, 2025. It was bought at a Racetrac gas station in Frankfort, Kentucky.