Coupeville man wins $440,000 playing Hit 5

A 77-year-old Coupeville man won $440,000 last week playing Washington’s Hit 5 lottery game.

Jim Sebastian realized he won at 11 a.m. July 21 when he went to the store to check his ticket. The lottery machine said “See Lottery Clerk” and then revealed the amount of money he had won.

He told lottery officials that his heart was thumping and his legs were shaking. Then he drove home to tell his wife.

He and his wife claimed the prize on July 22 at the lottery’s Everett regional office. They went to lunch and did a little shopping to treat themselves afterward.

Sebastian told lottery officials that he wants to replace his old truck with a new one. They’d like to share some of the money with their family. They have four children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Sebastian, a retired construction worker, plays $1 on Hit 5 three times per week. He said that when the jackpot gets higher, he plays $5 instead.

He’s been buying tickets for years from the Coupeville Country Store. He said he’s won $1,000 three times over the past 30 years. The Coupeville Country Store will receive a $4,400 bonus for selling Sebastian the ticket.