Owensboro man narrowly misses Kentucky Lottery win — only to score top prize weeks later

An Owensboro man came close to winning a top prize on a Kentucky Lottery game recently, only to miss by one number.

Then, just a few weeks later with another ticket, the man matched all four white ball numbers and the game’s Cash Ball to win $225,000.

“I said, ‘I know it’s going to happen,’” Richard Main told Kentucky Lottery officials, according to a news release from the agency Friday. “I got too close!”

According to the game’s official rules, players of Kentucky Cash Ball 225 choose four white ball numbers between 1 and 35 and one number for the Cash Ball, between 1 and 25. Players can also opt for the Quick Pick to randomly select their numbers.

Each play costs $1, but players can pay an additional dollar and add the game’s EZ match for a shot at winning $500 more. The odds per play of winning the game’s top $225,000 prize are 1 in 1,309,000.

Main won $2,250 on his initial play, but fell short of winning the game’s top prize. When he purchased another ticket two weeks later at the Kroger on Starlite Drive in Owensboro, however, he noticed his luck had changed and his numbers matched.

“I’ll get a feeling,” he said. “You can’t win if you don’t play. I’ve been kind of in shock.”

Main won the game’s April 29 drawing with the numbers 1, 17, 33, 35 and 15.

After making the trip to Kentucky Lottery headquarters in Louisville to collect his prize, a requirement for winners, Main received a check for $162,000 after taxes.

Main told lottery officials he may take a vacation with his winnings, but otherwise, he plans to put it in the bank and “let it ride.”

“I’ll be back,” he told officials as he was leaving, according to the release. “Positive begets positive.”

The Kroger store in Owensboro will also receive $2,250 for selling the winning ticket.

Main isn’t the only recent winner on Cash Ball 225. In April, the lottery announced a Louisville man took the top prize in the game.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Problem Gambling helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER.

Do you have a question about the lottery in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.