He had not matched the Powerball so he missed out on the jackpot, but was still entitled to $1 million. However, the clerk at the store accidentally threw his ticket away while sorting out paperwork and Kemp panicked as he prepared to drive home and realised what had happened. Rushing back in, the clerk helped him find the ticket and make the necessary repairs.
Kemp’s fears that the ticket may no longer be valid were laid to rest and he later picked up his cheque. He will take home $700,000 after taxes and hopes the money will help in his retirement, although he is also determined to enjoy the moment with his family. The 47-year-old, who could not recall winning more than $7 previously, said: “I think a celebration is in order, if we can get everybody together.”
Kemp was one of four players to win $1 million on Saturday as the jackpot rolled over, and nobody managed to land the top prize again in Wednesday night’s draw. A jackpot of $138 million will now be up for grabs on Saturday 23rd May, and players will be keeping a particularly close eye on their tickets to make sure they don’t get lost or damaged.