Lucky Scratch-off Gives $100,000 Belated Birthday Gift to ‘Bingo Lady’

Washington County woman’s birthday number provides key to big win

The “Bingo Lady” of Western Maryland got more than she bargained for when she sought the affordable thrills of a $10 Bingo X10 scratch-off. Instead of enjoying a relaxing moment with an extended play scratch-off, the retiree experienced the heart-racing shock of a $100,000 top-prize win.

The Washington County woman described her lucky win to Maryland Lottery officials this week. This bingo scratch-off fan usually purchases several instant tickets and plays them slowly. She studies her bingo cards on each scratch-off and then double-checks the results using the Maryland Lottery app.

On this occasion, Lottery magic happened when she got to her final Bingo X10 3rd Edition game. She slowly scratched off each number until, with just a single number remaining, “Bingo Lady” revealed a surprise. The last number was special for two reasons: it was her birthday number and the final number necessary to form a zigzag twist on the bingo card to win the game’s $100,000 top prize. What a nice belated birthday gift!

“I was in shock. I didn’t believe it and I had to sit down for quite a while,” said “Bingo Lady. “I was still trying to figure out whether it really happened several days later.”

The lucky winner says the $100,000 prize will help her pay bills and build her rainy-day savings.

The site of her purchase, Village Spirits at 22935 Jefferson Boulevard in Smithsburg, also wins. The Lottery retailer will receive a $1,000 bonus for selling the top-prize winning scratch-off in the game.

The Bingo X10 3rd Edition scratch-off, which launched in June, still has five $100,000 top prizes remaining. In addition, there are 15 $10,000 prizes and thousands of others ranging from $10 to $1,000.