Need for milk is forgotten as Laurel man reveals $100,000 top-prize scratch-off win. With him is his wife Jeanne.
Prince George’s County player claims big win on Bonus Buck$ scratch-off
A Laurel resident who initially went to the store for a gallon of milk left with enough money to buy a truckload of the dairy product. The very lucky Clarence Chatman revealed a $100,000 top-prize win on a Bonus Buck$ scratch-off in the wee hours of the morning.
Earlier this week, Clarence finished off all the milk in his home. His wife Jeanne suggested he go buy some more. However, the Prince George’s County man forgot about it until the early hours of Wednesday morning. Unable to sleep, he headed to 7-Eleven #26800 in Laurel where the Lottery vending machine caught his attention. Clarence decided to play a few scratch-off games before buying the milk.
“A feeling came over me as I passed the machine,” said Clarence. “So, I bought three $10 Bonus Bucks games.” He scanned them in the store, winning $50 on one and $10 on another game.
“I felt good having doubled my money, but something said, ‘Get one more,’” he said, smiling.
Clarence did just that and scanned his fourth instant ticket. The message said to see the retailer, where it was revealed that he won the game’s top prize.
“My heart stopped,” said Clarence. “I figured $10,000, but it was $100,000!”
The big winner cashed in his two scratch-offs that had $60 worth of prizes and gave the money to the 7-Eleven cashier as a gift. He put his $100,000-winning instant ticket in his back pocket and left the store with a small fortune, but no milk. In all the excitement, he simply forgot the original reason he entered the store!
Clarence called his wife while on his way home to wake her up so she could meet him in the living room.
“On no” was her reaction, recalled Jeanne, who accompanied her husband to Lottery headquarters in Baltimore to claim the big prize. “I thought something bad happened.”
Shaking, Clarence showed her the winning message on his phone. He then woke up his adult son to share the good news. They were all still in disbelief and didn’t get much sleep during the rest of the early morning hours. Instead, they went online and made an appointment to claim the prize later in the day. The three family members entered the Lottery Winner’s Circle a little delirious, but with huge grins.
Clarence, an auto mechanic manager, said they plan to use their $100,000 top-prize win toward a vacation and to pay bills. And, what about the milk? He has yet to purchase any, Clarence admitted, but he definitely has more than enough coins to get it.
His very lucky Lottery retailer can share in this excitement, too. Laurel 7-Eleven #26800 located at 12009 Laurel Bowie Road in Prince George’s County earns a $1,000 bonus from the Lottery for selling a $100,000 top-prize winning scratch-off. Plenty of prizes remain on the Bonus Buck$ game, including five $100,000 top prizes, seven $10,000 prizes, 18 $5,000 prizes and loads of others ranging from $10 to $2,000.
