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Kentucky man who dreamed of winning lottery wins $2 million

Kentucky Dreamer

Drawing Date: 12/26/2025

January 29, 2026 - A Frankfort, Ky. man said he dreamed he would win the lottery and ended up claiming a $2 million Mega Millions prize from the Dec. 26, 2025, drawing. The winning numbers for the Dec. 26, 2025, drawing were 9 – 19 – 31 – 63 – 64 and Mega Ball 7. 

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, was just one number away from winning the estimated jackpot of $125 million. He chose to pick his own numbers, using numbers significant to family members such as birthdates. The odds of winning the $1 million prize are 1 in 12,629,232.

“I will usually play Powerball and Mega Millions when the jackpots are high,” he said.

The man told lottery officials he went back to Racetrac, 101 Bizzack Blvd. in Frankfort, a few days after the drawing to check his tickets he bought there.

It was then he discovered he had matched five white ball numbers to win the game’s $1 million top prize. Since each play includes a built-in multiplier, which in this case was two, his winnings doubled to $2 million.

“I scanned the first one (ticket) and I won $50. Then, I scanned the next one and it said $2 million. It took me a second to digest it. I left without checking the rest of the tickets,” he laughed.

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

The man waited a few days to claim his prize to do research and financial planning.

After taxes, the Franklin County man took home a check for $1,450,000. He told officials he plans to invest his winnings and travel.

Racetrac will receive a $20,000 bonus.