Wins $50,000 playing $5 Ravens scratch-off
A Temple Hills man who spends long hours in operating rooms assisting in trauma surgery said he didn’t mind giving up the peace and quiet typical of his day off. The excitement of winning $50,000 on a Maryland Lottery Ravens scratch-off was worth it!
“I was out running errands on my day off, one of which was getting my Lottery tickets for the week, when I saw what looked like a brand new pack of scratch tickets in the store’s display,” he said. The 50-year-old medical specialist told Lottery officials that he’s always had a lucky feeling about new books of Lottery scratch-offs. As luck would have it, the management of 24 Express at 4451 Wheeler Road in Oxon Hill had just put a new book of $5 Ravens scratch-offs on sale.
The loyal player bought the games and went home, where he mowed the lawn, took a nap, prepared lunch and scratched off the tickets. “I always start with the numbers before scratching the prize amount,” he said. “Right there on the first line was a match, so I was happy knowing that I’d at least win my money back.”
When the Prince George’s County man got around to totaling up his prize, he dropped his fork in shock. “$50,000 was so unbelievable that I just knew it couldn’t be,” he said. “The game directions were pretty clear, but I kept searching for the rule that would take away the money. I actually pinched myself to make sure I hadn’t fallen back to sleep.”
The happy winner surprised his wife with the news when she got home from work. “She nearly passed out,” he said. “I had to steady her.”
The prize comes at a great time because the couple is taking care of his mother, who has several health issues. The family is also down to one car after a recent mishap. “I see the miracles surgeons perform in operating rooms every day, so I know they happen,” he said. “While this isn’t a life and death thing, this win really is a miracle for us.”
The $5 Ravens scratch-off game has four $100,000 top prizes remaining. There are five more unclaimed $50,000 prizes, seven unclaimed $10,000 prizes along with a second-chance contest for Ravens-themed prizes. Players can enter non-winning Ravens scratch-offs into their My Lottery Rewards accounts to try to win Ravens season tickets for 2017, an away trip with the team, $10,000 in cash and season tickets for 20 years. Find out more at mdlottery.com/ravens.