Jorge Coronel of Damascus scored a top-prize win in the Home Run Riches game. |
Stop for lunch yields top-prize ticket in $5 game
Playing Maryland Lottery scratch-offs with a co-worker during lunch left Jorge Coronel of Damascus on the hook to buy their meal. Why? He scored a $50,000 top-prize win on the Home Run Riches game!
The men were enjoying lunch in the diner at Damascus Fast Fuels in Damascus when Jorge encountered Lottery luck. They had each decided to add some scratch-off fun to their meal and bought some instant tickets.
“They each said, ‘If you win, I’ll pay for your lunch,’” said a member of the family who accompanied Jorge to claim his prize at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. “When he scratched his ticket, he couldn’t believe it was more than what lunch cost,” she said. “He was so shocked! He couldn’t believe he was a winner.”
The married father of two boys had hit a home run playing the $5 scratch-off. The Montgomery County resident plans to pay bills with his prize and buy his wife of 16 years a wonderful present for her upcoming birthday. The 47-year-old would like to buy a truck, he said, and will treat his family to a nice holiday.
Also celebrating his win is the lucky retailer. The Montgomery County business, located at 9871 Main Street, will receive a $500 bonus from the Lottery for selling a top-prize winner in the game. The Home Run Riches game, which was reissued because of brisk sales, still has two unclaimed $50,000 top prizes on the two versions of the game on sale around the state. There are also thousands of unclaimed prizes ranging from $10 to $5,000.