Sky high: Flight attendant stranded in Kentucky buys Powerball ticket, wins $50K

HEBRON, Ky. — This flight attendant is never going to complain about delays again.

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The attendant, who is from Salt Lake City, had his flight delayed to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport on Dec. 28. He bought a Powerball ticket at a convenience store near the airport and won $50,000 for the Jan. 1 drawing, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

“I’ve traveled all over the world but the best place I’ve ever been is Hebron, Kentucky,” the attendant, who wished to remain anonymous, told lottery officials in a news release.

Utah does not have a state lottery, but the attendant buys tickets when he travels. The Powerball jackpot was nearing $500 million at the time.

“I went in the store and while checking out, I thought, ‘I’m going to buy three sets of numbers for three drawings,’” the flight attendant told lottery officials.

The attendant chose a Quick Pick option and stashed the ticket away. When he checked the ticket several days later, the man realized he had matched four numbers and the Powerball.

The numbers drawn on Jan. 1 were 12-28-39-48-50 and the Powerball number was 7. The only number the man did not have was 28.

The attendant went on Reddit to post that he was only one number away from the big prize, but one user pointed out that he was still a winner. The man checked, and sure enough, he was $50,000 richer, the Herald-Leader reported.

“This is crazy,” the attendant told lottery officials. “I’ve never had this much money fall into my lap. It’s amazing.”

He put his winning ticket on his refrigerator and switched with a co-worker so he could return to Kentucky and cash in the ticket, according to the Herald-Leader.

The man received $35,500 after taxes, the newspaper reported. He said he will likely use the money for a down payment on a house.


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