Scratch-off win enables him to help grandchildren with college costs
A little shake-up in his Maryland Lottery routine led to a big score for a Gaithersburg grandfather. The result: he claimed a $50,000 prize on July 12.
“I never thought I could win so much!” he said, smiling, while sitting in the Winner’s Circle at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
The 73-year-old previously favored multistate jackpot games. He changed his Lottery strategy on a recent stop at Goshen Plaza Beer & Wine, which is located at 9150 Rothbury Drive in Montgomery Village. The Montgomery County resident decided to pick up two $20 Max A Million scratch-offs.
“I usually play Mega Millions and Powerball but this time something told me to play this one,” he said of the Max A Million game. While still at the store, he scratched off the instant tickets. The first one won $20. At first, he wasn’t sure what the prize was for the second instant ticket. He scanned it and then asked the clerk to check it. The clerk confirmed a $50,000 win! Another three such prizes remain unclaimed in the game along with three of the original seven top prizes of $1 million.
The loyal player has kept his win a tight secret and has not celebrated beyond flashing a big smile every chance he gets. He plans to reveal his Lottery luck only when he helps his five grandchildren pay for college.
As for his Lottery routine, the winner said he’ll be a lot more focused on scratch-offs going forward.
