“C.T.” of the Eastern Shore celebrated his $1.4 million Multi-Match jackpot as he visited the Lottery’s Winner’s Circle on April 16. |
Eastern Shore resident wins second Multi-Match jackpot of 2019
How would you handle winning a $1.4 million jackpot on a $2 Lottery ticket? Once you found out would you casually walk out of the store you were in and go back home? Would you sit and take a drink of your coffee, finish watching some reality shows on TV and then visit a disabled neighbor’s home to help tidy up before telling anyone you won?
“C.T.,” a self-employed father of one from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, did exactly those things after learning that he won the jackpot in the April 15 Multi-Match drawing. Most people shout, or clearly display their excitement, but not “C.T.”
His excitement was internal.
“I woke up today thinking about how I would help someone else and I ended the day being blessed beyond my imagination,” said “C.T.” as he visited Lottery headquarters in Baltimore to claim his prize on April 16. “I scanned my first two tickets; nothing. I scanned my last ticket and I became overwhelmed. I didn’t know what to do, so I went about my day as normal. I promised to help some of my neighbors, so that’s what I did.”
“C.T.” did, eventually, contact two of his neighbors to ask them to accompany him to Baltimore to visit the Lottery office. They were happy to oblige because of their deep affection for “C.T.” and all the hard work he does for them.
“This couldn’t have happened to a better guy,” said “C.T.’s” neighbor “Kyren” as he tapped “C.T.” on the shoulder. “He is always there for us, helping out—mowing our lawn, fixing things that break around the house—so finally being able to show a small gesture of our gratitude makes my wife and I very happy.”
As a widower and leukemia survivor, “C.T.” said he has seen some dark days. But now he’s looking forward to enjoying his Lottery prize. In the meantime, the crab-loving, Bridezillas-watching, Love-and-Hip-Hop-binging, avid biker said he plans to return to the Eastern Shore and continue helping his friends and neighbors.
“I will probably do something a little crazy with my money, but for now I don’t have any particular thing I want to do or buy for myself,” said “C.T.,” who opted for the prize’s $1.057 million cash option. “I plan on reaching out and helping someone who really needs to be helped. I don’t know who I will help and when, but I will keep helping people; I will keep working.”
The Dorchester County retailer that sold “C.T.” the lucky ticket is a winner as well. For selling a Multi-Match jackpot-winning ticket, the Short Stop Food Mart, located at 911 Washington Street in Cambridge, will receive a $1,400 bonus from the Maryland Lottery.
This is the second time in 2019 that the Multi-Match jackpot has been hit. A Baltimore woman won a $775,000 jackpot in the Jan. 24 drawing.
Multi-Match is Maryland’s in-state jackpot game. Tickets are $2 and drawings are held each Monday and Thursday. Jackpots start at $500,000 and increase after each drawing that does not produce a jackpot winner. The game features 10 different prize levels, ranging from $2 to the jackpot. The jackpot for the Thursday, April 18 drawing resets to $500,000 with a cash option of $250,000.
Watch televised Multi-Match drawings at 11:22 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays on WBAL-TV. Winning numbers are available at mdlottery.com and on your smartphone by downloading the free MD Lottery app.