Vernon Jenkins of Caroline County raises his $50,000 Win Big ceremonial check high. |
Need for a cold drink results in big win
Vernon Jenkins, a Caroline County resident, is a very busy man. Holding down a full-time job and a part-time job while raising his three grandchildren with his wife keeps him hopping.
That he had time to drive to Baltimore is surprising until you know the reason. The Queen Anne’s County employee brought a Win Big scratch-off worth $50,000 to Maryland Lottery headquarters!
The happy man says a big thirst led to the big prize. “I just really needed a cold drink,” the 52-year-old said. “I was driving from job #1 to job #2 when I saw the gas station.”
Vernon stopped at Dominion Exxon, which is located at 100 Dominion Road in Chester, and more than the soda selection caught his eye. “At the counter, I saw a Lottery game labeled ‘7,’ it was Win Big. I don’t have a lucky number or anything, but something about that ‘7’ just grabbed me.” Stepping outside to scratch off his spur-of-the-moment purchase, the hard worker tells us that he almost passed out.
“The first thing I scratched, literally the very first thing, was a $10,000 match.” Scratching on, Vernon kept finding matches. “When it got over $20,000 I stopped to look at the list of prizes on the back of the ticket. That’s when I figured out that I’d probably won $50,000.”
Recovering from the shock of his win, Vernon called his wife and his brother.
“They were amazed, just couldn’t believe it,” said the lucky grandpa. “My wife even stayed up until I got home to see the ticket. And I work the night shift!”
Vernon gives all credit for his Lottery win and for the energy it takes to work two jobs and take care of three young kids to “the Man upstairs.” He and his wife will use their Big Win cash for home improvements, a new “used” car and savings boost.
The $50,000 winner was only the second of 13 that the $20 Win Big game has in store – and in stores – for Lottery players in Maryland. Five of the game’s seven $1 million top prizes also remain.