A routine rest stop in Cecil County turned into a memorable moment for a truck driver from southern California, thanks to a $100,000 win on a Maryland Lottery scratch-off.
Taking a break before heading across the country and back home, he decided to pass a little time by purchasing a Lottery ticket – a new experience for him, he said May 4 when he claimed the prize at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
“Why not? I have time to kill,” he remembered thinking after he noticed a Lottery vending machine at the Pilot Travel Center truck stop at 1 Center Drive in North East.
He selected the $1,000,000 Crossword scratch-off, a $25 game. He was attracted to the ticket because he enjoyed completing crossword puzzles when he was growing up.
He recalled feeling an overwhelming sense of nervousness as he scratched the ticket. After playing the entire card, he scanned it to confirm what he suspected: he had won $100,000, a second-tier prize on the game.
Overcome with excitement, he gathered his belongings and rushed home to share the news with his partner. When asked about his reaction, the winner said he felt both excited and nervous. He wasn’t nervous about the win, but about keeping the ticket safe until he could claim his prize.
Characterizing the win as resulting from “beginner’s luck,” the player said he doesn’t plan to make Lottery games a regular part of his life, though he may occasionally try his luck again while on the road.
The truck driver already has plans for his windfall, including using the money toward a down payment on a new home.
The $1,000,000 Crossword scratch-off launched in February as the Maryland Lottery’s first $25 scratch-off game. The game started with four $1 million top prizes, three of which remain unclaimed. Eight $100,000 second-tier prizes also remain in circulation.
