A woman from Lexington won a $50,000 prize after using numbers from a fortune cookie to buy a Powerball ticket, lottery officials confirmed.
Kathy Bailey had just finished eating Chinese food with her family when she decided to use the numbers from a fortune cookie to purchase a Powerball ticket. While on the Kentucky Lottery website, the Lexington resident also placed a $5 wager on Golden Snake Triple Play.
Seconds later, a $50,000 win appeared on her screen. According to the Kentucky Lottery, the odds of winning $50,000 with a $5 wager are one in two million.
“Oh my gosh,” Bailey said. “I told my husband, ‘You might want to take a look at this and tell me if I’m seeing it right.’ He couldn’t believe it and asked, ‘What have you done now?’”
Shortly after, she received an email from the Kentucky Lottery confirming her win.
“My husband is retiring in December, so this will be some extra money to have on hand,” Bailey said. “We’ve already paid off our house, van and truck, so this will just be a nice addition to our savings.”
After taxes, Bailey took home $36,000.
“Not bad for a $5 spin,” she said as she left the lottery office.
