 Congratulations to this Florida Keys woman, who won the $100,000 top prize on the Diamond 7s scratch-off. |
Claims top prize on Diamond 7s scratch-off
A Key West, Fla., woman in town visiting her three adult children and 10 grandchildren for the holidays just received an early Christmas gift – a $100,000 scratch-off prize from the Maryland Lottery.
The former Marylander is still amazed that one of the two Diamond 7s scratch-offs her son bought for her at Lake Shore Exxon in Pasadena delivered a top-prize win. When the 66-year-old and her son walked into the Lottery Winner’s Lounge and found the room packed with applauding, cheering employees, the retiree smiled from ear to ear.
“Maryland is awesome,” she said. “It is an amazing experience, an unforgettable Christmas holiday and I’m grateful to everyone for being so wonderful. What a great experience you made it.”
The lucky lady was in town only a few days when her son offered to take her for a drive. At the Lottery retailer, she waited in the car while the Pasadena man fulfilled her request for some scratch-off tickets. She’s lived in Florida for 16 years, but still enjoys playing the Maryland Lottery’s games. Her son was driving when she began scratching off the first of the $10 tickets. He had to stop a few moments later and confirm her big win.
“I pulled over right in front of the house,” said the father of three. He quickly scratched the second ticket for his mom but it was a non-winner. “I was hoping for a back-to-back win,” he said.
His mother stayed at the house while the 30-something business owner drove back to the retailer. He confirmed the win quietly using the ticket checker.
“It said ‘See Maryland Lottery’ and I knew we were good,” he said.
Back home, his mom called his dad – who is working through the holidays in Florida – to share her fantastic news.
“The first thing he said to me was to hide the ticket in my underwear,” she said, laughing.
The happy winner ran a construction business and a charter boat company before retiring. She hasn’t decided yet what to do with the prize.
“It’s such a shock,” she said. “Truthfully, I think I won’t believe it’s real until I get the check.”
For selling a top-prize ticket, Lake Shore Exxon, located at 4459 Mountain Road in Pasadena, will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Lottery. There are still three $100,000 top-prize Diamond 7s tickets awaiting discovery at Maryland Lottery retailers, along with a dozen $10,000 prizes. The Diamond 7s game launched Nov. 23.