Lucky Dad Finds $30,000 Surprise Hiding in Holiday Gift of Scratch-offs

Wins top prize in Peppermint Payout game

His mother-in-law’s tradition of packing scratch-offs into holiday cards for the family to enjoy at Christmas brought much more than fun and games to their celebration this year.

A Severna Park father discovered a $30,000 top-prize winning Peppermint Payout game in his stash of scratch-offs.

He’s the lucky one among the recipients, reported the occasional player, having won $50 and $100 in previous years.

On Christmas Day, while others were scratching off their tickets, the Anne Arundel County resident was busy keeping an eye on his active toddler. He didn’t get an opportunity to scratch his until the morning after Christmas.

The husband and wife were back at home, enjoying coffee while he scratched off the games without experiencing much luck. When he had two scratch-offs left, the optimistic player picked up the $3 Peppermint Payout game and started scratching away. To win a prize, players match winning numbers displayed in straight rows on the evergreen tree.

“I’m looking at it and I have all of the numbers on the last line,” he said. “I looked at my wife and I said, ‘I think I won 30 grand!”

They verified the big win and shared the great news with friends and family members, including his mother-in-law. “We called her,” said the happy winner. “She was over the moon.”

The husband and wife plan to use the $30,000 top prize to help others. They will use some of the funds to help select charities and good causes.

His mother-in-law’s lucky retailer can share in the celebration, too. For selling a $30,000 top-prize winning scratch-off, Ye Olde Package Goods at 887 Sandusky Road in Sykesville will receive a $300 bonus from the Lottery.

The Peppermint Payout game went on sale in October with four other Holiday scratch-offs and is part of the Holiday Cash Second-Chance Promotion. There are two more weeks of second-chance drawings that will award 10 players $2,500 each and five players $25,000 each. Drawing deadlines are Jan. 2 and Jan. 10, 2023.