“It’s going to be life-changing.” That’s how Joseph Hellard of Elsmere said he felt on Monday after claiming a $250,000 prize on a Kentucky Lottery Scratch-off ticket.
Hellard stopped at Elsmere Mini Mart on Garvey Avenue last Saturday to purchase his lottery tickets.
After scratching off a few tickets but not winning anything, he started to leave the store. As he was walking out, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a ten-dollar bill. That’s when he decided to go back in the store and buy one more ticket.
Joseph Hellard (Photo from Kentucky Lottery)
His ticket of choice this particular day was the $10 100X Scratch-off. He didn’t realize how his decision to go back would turn out to be life-changing.
Hellard says he plays Kentucky Lottery Scratch-off tickets often but doesn’t normally buy $10 tickets.
He scratched off his ticket while in the store, and noticed on the first row of his ticket he matched the number 15.
“I figured no matter what, I would get my money back,” he told lottery officials.
Hellard proceeded to scratch off the prize amount, uncovering a $50,000 prize. “My eyes are bad, so I had to look at it several times,” Hellard said.
He continued to scratch off the rest of the ticket when on the last row he also uncovered a 100X symbol. This symbol is a multiplier indicating players multiply the prize shown below by that symbol. The prize amount was $1,000. When he came to the last spot on the ticket, he discovered a second 100X symbol with another $1,000 prize.
“I fell to the ground on my knees. I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was crazy,” Hellard told lottery officials.
The Kenton County man said he plans to buy a house and a new vehicle with the winnings.
“Everything we’ve been through, it’s sure going to help.”
Elsmere Mini Mart will receive a $2,500 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Kentucky Lottery
