“Number One” from Aberdeen won a $50,000 top prize on the $50,000 Diamonds! scratch-off game. |
Lucky player wins $50,000 top prize
An occasional scratch-off player from Harford County who bought the first $50,000 Diamonds! instant ticket in a new pack of scratch-offs needed only one to win — and he did! The 68-year-old’s smile is shining bright like a diamond since his $50,000 top-prize win.
Earlier this week, the Aberdeen man was out with a good friend. He decided to stop in Herb’s On the Curb in Havre de Grace for a cup of coffee and bought one $50,000 Diamonds! scratch-off. The retired mechanic scratched the instant ticket in the store and couldn’t believe his eyes. He wasn’t even halfway through the game when he saw a matching number with a $50,000 top prize underneath.
“I was excited, but not too excited,” he said. “I really tried to remain calm.”
The happy winner selected the alias “Number One,” since he won with one ticket and on the first one in the pack. “Number One” verified his win with the store’s cashier, who explained to him how to claim the big prize.
The happy winner then shared the news of his good fortune with his friend, who was playing Keno at the country store. “I was so happy for him that I forgot I had Keno tickets,” she said.
The two of them immediately headed to Lottery headquarters in Baltimore to claim the prize. “Number One” told Lottery officials that he has no initial plans for his win and will save it for now.
The retailer that sold with winning ticket is shining bright, too. Herb’s on the Curb, located at 4000 Chapel Road in Havre de Grace, earns a $500 bonus from the Lottery for selling the top-prize scratch-off in the $5 game. The bonus is equal to 1 percent of the prize.
The $50,000 Diamonds! game still has big winners available. There are three additional $50,000 top prizes, 11 $10,000 prizes and thousands of prizes from $5 to $1,000 still available in the game.