 Paul Carey of Columbia won $50,000 with taxes paid on the Maryland Lottery’s Biggest Taxes Paid Ever scratch-off. |
Takes Home Tax-Free $50,000 Scratch-off Prize
Few people enjoy waiting in line but Paul Carey of Columbia can thank his lucky stars for the line that formed at a local pharmacy.
The electrician decided to pass the time playing a Maryland Lottery scratch-off while waiting to pick up a prescription at the Giant pharmacy at 7200 Cradlerock Way in Columbia. The jolt he got after scratching off his Biggest Taxes Paid Ever instant ticket, which revealed a win of $50,000, made time flew by, Paul told Lottery officials.
“I don’t play too often, and I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t been waiting,” Paul said. When the 31-year-old saw what he’d won, he fell to the ground. “I couldn’t breathe for a moment and certainly couldn’t speak.”
Both a friend and the clerk confirmed his win on the $5 ticket, Paul said. The Howard County resident immediately shared the news with his wife. “I called her but couldn’t get the words out at first,” said the father of three. “It took a few minutes to give her the story.”
The entire family will benefit from his win, Paul said, “We really need this now, great timing.” The family recently moved into a new house that needs work and Paul is close to finishing his apprenticeship, which is a time-consuming and expensive endeavor. “The whole family has been sacrificing these last several years,” he said. “This will help a lot.”
Thanks to Lottery luck, the trip to Disney World that Paul and his wife had promised the kids in 2016 will happen much sooner.
Biggest Taxes Paid Ever carries a $50,000 top prize with taxes covered by the lottery. It debuted in December and still has five big winners available for discovery in Maryland stores.