How This Kentucky Family Won Over $200,000 in Lottery Prizes Within 3 Months

Two members of a Kentucky family won big in the lotto and they did so within three months of one another. The Hazard, Kentucky-based Fannin family, was extremely fortunate to win over $200,000 in the Kentucky Lottery, per Fox Business. The small, charming community of Hazard, Kentucky, lies tucked away in the state's east. Starla won the big prize in an online lottery game in February. In a May 13 blog post from the Kentucky Lottery, Starla claimed a massive $150,438.47 win while participating in the online "Merry Money Bonus Jackpot Instant Play" game.

William's surprise win

When retired teacher and basketball coach William Fannin made a spectacular play in May, the Fannin family's run of good fortune continued. William, who is well-known for consistently playing the Powerball every week, was not too impressed with his ticket for the drawing on May 13. He'd been purchasing his tickets from the same retailer for 25 years. But in a strange turn of events, William made the decision to make a little adjustment. As per the Kentucky Lottery, he obtained his Powerball ticket from the Zip Zone convenience shop located on East Main Street in Hazard and not from his regular location.

Before he could even check his ticket, his daughter Starla had already sent a text to her mom, Freida, saying she heard about a $50,000 Powerball winner from the Zip Zone in Hazard.

So, Starla messaged her mom, saying, "It wasn’t where Dad usually buys his tickets, so it can't be him," as William told the Kentucky Lottery. But guess what? Turns out, William's ticket was the winning one! He matched four Powerball numbers and the Powerball itself, scooping up $50,000. When he scanned his ticket and saw the amount, he was completely stunned. Then, he hurried home to share the incredible news with his wife.

"I said, ‘Sit down,’" he recounted to the Kentucky Lottery. At first, his wife thought something bad had happened. But when she found out about the win, it was tears of joy all around. "That winning ticket? It was ours. It belonged to us," William reassured his wife. "And then we both just cried," she chimed in. Their daughter Starla was over the moon about her parents' luck.

"She was probably even more excited than me," William chuckled about his daughter's reaction. "She was just thrilled!" As for what they'll do with their windfall, William and his wife hadn't made any concrete plans yet. Being retired, they know the extra cash will definitely come in handy.

Unexpected win by a fisherman

When a fisherman discovered he had won $64 million just 19 days before the lottery ticket expired, nearly a year after he had purchased it, his life took an unexpected turn. He stored the ticket on his bedroom dresser with the others, and he examined them just once a month, so he didn't know how much he had won until his girlfriend verified the enormous sum. Even though there has been discussion on the unclaimed award, the winner, Chiasson, never thought he would win. Remarkably indifferent to the possibility of losing out, he stuck to his custom of not anticipating significant wins. After working for many years at a neighboring fish plant and in the crab fishing industry, he now looks forward to using the prize money to support his family in retirement.