Holiday Scratch-off Turns First-Time Player Into First-Time Winner

Claims $30,000 top prize on Peppermint Payout scratch-off

An 18-year-old Germantown woman came to Maryland Lottery headquarters with her parents in tow, eager to share her exciting experience. The Lottery novice won big the first time she played a scratch-off and was claiming a $30,000 top prize on the Peppermint Payout game.

For her first Christmas as an adult, the lucky woman received a few scratch-offs from her parents. She had luck on three of the instant tickets, winning $1, $2, and $30,000.

“We gave them to her as a stocking stuffer,” her dad explained.

The Montgomery County resident is a college student majoring in Digital Arts. She plans to put the scratch-off prize into her savings account.

“It was shocking and a weird feeling” to win, she said, adding, “it was surreal.”

Another winner in this story was Shoppers #2362 located at 18066 Mateny Road in Germantown. The Montgomery County store will receive a $300 bonus from the Lottery for selling a $30,000 top-prize winning instant ticket.

The Peppermint Payout game is still loaded with sweet prizes. Since it went on sale on Oct. 17, players have found four of the $3 game’s eight $30,000 top prizes. The game also has more than 450,000 unclaimed prizes ranging from $3 to $500.