Landscaper takes home $170,566 prize
A Damascus man visited Lottery headquarters recently to cash a ticket that, to his surprise, couldn’t be cashed at the retailer where he purchased it. When the clerk explained the reason he was turned away, the $170,566 winner was in utter disbelief.
The Montgomery County resident is a landscaper who rarely buys Lottery tickets. “Once in a while I’ll decide to,” he said, adding, “and only if I have cash in my pocket. If not, I wait until next time.”
Happily, the 53-year-old had a $10 bill in his wallet when he stopped for gas at Damascus Liberty. “I’ve won playing FAST PLAY games a few times, so that’s what I picked.” He selected the $10 Casino Royale Slots game that features a progressive jackpot that climbs until someone wins. The lucky landscaper didn’t for a minute think that he’d be that someone, though.
“I asked the guy behind the counter to check my ticket and he told me it was a winner,” he explained. “But then he said that he couldn’t pay me.” When the cashier explained why he couldn’t pay and just how much he’d won, the lucky player didn’t believe it.
The first thing the winner plans to do with his $170,566 prize is to pay off several bills. He has nothing else planned for his windfall but is excited to begin figuring out how the Casino Royale Slots cash will fit into his life.
“It is still difficult to believe this has happened.”
The owners of Damascus Liberty at 26241 Ridge Road in Damascus will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Lottery for selling the FAST PLAY jackpot-winning ticket. This game went on sale in January and still has 28 progressive jackpot prizes remaining. The jackpots start at $100,000.
