Kearney, Nebraska – A Kearney man’s long-running commitment to a familiar set of lottery numbers paid off in a big way after years of near misses and patience. Brian Iodence of Kearney won $60,000 playing Nebraska Pick 5, marking a major personal milestone after playing the same numbers for more than a decade.
Iodence purchased his winning ticket through the Nebraska Lottery at Pump & Pantry #56, located at 3004 U.S. Highway 30. The ticket included a single set of numbers that was valid for seven days, from January 26, 2026, through February 1. His patience paid off on the final night of that run when the numbers 09, 15, 22, 25, and 29 were drawn, matching all five on his ticket.
Years of patience finally pay off
Iodence said he has been playing the same group of numbers for about 15 years. The combination is tied to family birthdays, and while the jackpot had always stayed just out of reach, he had come close before.
“I hit three a couple of times,” he said. “I hit four once. That fifth one was the hard one.”
Despite encouragement from his son to try something different, Iodence said he plans to stick with the numbers that finally delivered a win.
“It’s the same odds as any numbers,” he said, “Let’s keep it going.”
Nebraska Pick 5 is unique among lottery games in the state. All proceeds from the game stay in Nebraska, and all winning tickets are sold within the state at authorized Nebraska Lottery retailers. The game features drawings seven nights a week, giving players frequent chances to win.
The Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot starts at $50,000 and increases by $10,000 each drawing when there is no winner. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 658,008, while the overall odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 9.2.
For Iodence, the win is proof that persistence can pay off, even when it takes years for the final number to fall into place.
