Gaithersburg man claims top prize on Maryland Lottery instant ticket
A Gaithersburg man’s persistence in playing the Maryland Lottery Hold ‘Em Poker scratch-off paid off in spades, diamonds and clubs to give him the $100,000 top prize on the instant ticket.
The 45-year-old banking industry employee prefers to play the scratch-off version of Poker than the playing-card version. He’s won small amounts on the $5 ticket in the past at his favorite Lottery retailer, Diamond Deli in Gaithersburg, so he kept playing in hopes of winning big. The father of four teens was so excited and surprised when he suspected his ticket was a top winner that he verified its status at two retailers. The second store directed him to Lottery headquarters in Baltimore to claim his prize.
“I was very excited,” said the immigrant, who came to the United States more than two decades ago and is a U.S. citizen. So far, he has only shared the good news with one of his friends and plans to keep the win a secret from everyone else except one more very important person in his life – his wife! Paying off bills and treating his family are tops on his list of things to do with his winnings, he said.
For selling the winning scratch-off, Diamond Deli at 504 East Diamond Ave. in Gaithersburg will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Maryland Lottery. One $100,000 winning ticket and eight $5,000 second-tier winning tickets remain in Maryland stores for Lottery players to discover.