Anne Arundel County winner will share her news over dinner
An anonymous Pasadena resident who is relatively new to playing the Lottery just claimed a $40,000 Mega Millions prize but you won’t hear her talking about it – yet – with her husband. Calling herself “Mary J.H.,” the lucky lady said she plans to spring news of her third-tier win in the Sept. 10 drawing on her husband when she treats him to a nice dinner out.
Her decision to play Lottery games started about a year ago and was inspired by her father. He frequently played Lottery games during her childhood. “Mary J.H.” vividly remembers her first win in a Pick 4 game, using random numbers that led to an unexpected victory. Since that day, the Anne Arundel County woman has played occasionally, especially when games like Mega Millions and Powerball boast impressive jackpots.
“I usually play when I’m feeling lucky or when the jackpot gets really high,” she explained.
On the day she bought her winning ticket, the Mega Millions jackpot had reached a thrilling peak of $800 million. Trusting her instincts, “Mary J.H.” purchased a $15 quick-pick ticket, adding the Megaplier, at the Dash In located at 3900 Mountain Road in Pasadena. The morning after the drawing, “Mary J.H.” scanned her ticket using the Maryland Lottery app and was met with great news: she won $10,000 and the 4X Megaplier quadrupled her prize!
“I couldn’t stop laughing,” she recalled, still in disbelief at her fortune. “It felt unreal!”
So far, “Mary J.H.” has only shared news of her win with her father. Her husband is next on the list as soon as she makes her dinner plans at a nice restaurant. The winner intends to save the majority of her prize while earmarking some of the funds to start Christmas shopping early.
“I want to make sure my loved ones have an amazing Christmas this year,” she said with a smile.
Before leaving Lottery headquarters, she was asked if she planned to continue playing Lottery games. Without hesitation, “Mary J.H.” replied, “Oh yes! I’ll grab some tickets on my way home.”
