Family doubts his Bonus Crossword game win
A 26-year-old Gaithersburg man couldn’t be happier to claim a $30,000 top prize on the Bonus Crossword scratch-off game. Especially, said Fredy Sandoval, because everyone thought the instant ticket win was not real!
His Lottery luck happened on Memorial Day weekend, when Fredy decided to stop at the 7-Eleven at 19235 Watkins Mill Road in Gaithersburg after work to pick up some Maryland Lottery scratch-offs. He bought three of the $3 Bonus Crossword games and headed home to play them.
“I like the crossword games because they are more interesting and fun than the other scratch-offs,” said the Montgomery County resident.
When he got home, Fredy started playing the games. The first instant ticket was not a winner, the second had a $3 prize and the third scratch-off carried the $30,000 top prize.
“I didn’t believe it,” said Fredy. “I showed it to my sister, who was shaking when she saw the prize.”
Fredy, who lives with his mother and siblings, was also doubtful even after showing the instant ticket a few times to everyone and scanning it using the Maryland Lottery App on his phone. His brother, who traveled with him to Lottery headquarters in Baltimore to claim the prize said, “We thought it was fake until we came up here!”
The family waited anxiously over the long holiday weekend for Tuesday to arrive so he could try to claim the prize. On Tuesday, Fredy, his mother Ambaro and his brother all came to Lottery headquarters. “I’m so happy for him,” said Ambaro, with a smile.
The happy winner, who works as a landscaper, plans to use the prize for home improvements and will save the rest.
The lucky retailer that sold the winning scratch-off is celebrating, too. The 7-Eleven #28813 will receive a $300 bonus from the Lottery, which is equal to 1 percent of the $30,000 prize, for selling a top-prize winning scratch-off of $20,000 or more.