Virginia resident wins top prize on Bingo Multiplier scratch-off
A grandmother from Richmond, Va., got the shock of a lifetime on Nov. 1: a $50,000 Maryland Lottery scratch-off prize.
The 54-year-old visits her daughter and grandson in Maryland a couple of times a month and enjoys playing scratch-off games at several local retailers. On Nov. 1, after buying several tickets that weren’t winners, she decided to buy two more Bingo Multiplier tickets at 7-Eleven #26753 in Baltimore. She took them to her daughter’s place to scratch and couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw what one of the $5 instant tickets revealed.
“I was looking at it and I said, ‘I think I won $10,000,’ and I called for my daughter to come and help me check,” she said.
Her daughter agreed that the ticket showed a $10,000 win, but suggested they go back to the retailer and check the ticket there to be sure. That’s when surprise turned to shock.
“The guy in the store said, ‘You didn’t scratch the bonus area,’ ” recalled her daughter. “My mom said, ‘How much more am I going to win?’ I said ‘Have faith!’ ”
Indeed, the bonus area delivered the rest of the good news – a 5x multiplier that turned her $10,000 prize into $50,000.
“I almost had a heart attack,” the lucky winner said. “My brain didn’t work. I said, ‘So how much is that?’ ”
The out-of-state resident, who is originally from Maryland, came to Lottery headquarters the next morning to claim her prize. “I haven’t been to sleep, and I kept her up,” she said, motioning to her daughter.
Prior to claiming her Bingo Multiplier top prize, the most she had ever won playing Maryland Lottery games was $500 on a scratch-off last month. The lucky winner said her daughter hopes to buy a house and she may use the prize to help make that happen and perhaps move back to Maryland.
“This is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me,” she said.
Five of the Bingo Multiplier game’s $50,000 top prizes have not yet been claimed, and there are 10 $10,000 prizes waiting to be found. Our winner’s lucky retailer, located at 8601 Honeygo Blvd. in Baltimore, will receive a $500 bonus from the Lottery for selling the winning ticket.