This novice Lottery player from Fort Washington has become a scratch-off devotee after winning a $50,000 prize.
Fort Washington woman’s interest in playing again boosted by big score
A Maryland Lottery novice from Fort Washington needed help from her sister, a seasoned player, to understand the meaning of all of the stacks of coins revealed on her Lucky scratch-off. The answer: she won $50,000, which she plans to use to help pay her mom’s medical bills.
The Prince George’s County resident’s 93-year-old mom was recently diagnosed with cancer and the co-payments for treatment are a growing expense. The player, who describes herself as a person of faith, remained hopeful of finding a way to help. Then, while out running errands, her fiancé asked her, “Do you want to get a scratch-off?”
The player, who selected the nickname “Faithful Daughter” for purposes of telling her winning story, answered yes. She bought a $5 Lucky instant ticket at Royal Food Mart in Fort Washington, and began scratching off the game.
“I started seeing all of the same symbols on the ticket,” she said. The symbol, a stack of coins, means the player wins the prize shown beneath the symbol. In this case, the symbol appeared above every prize shown on the card except one. The prizes totaled $50,000. That seemed odd to “Faithful Daughter,” so she consulted her Lottery-savvy sister and got confirmation of her top-prize win.
“Faithful Daughter” knew right away what she would do with the money: help her mom with the financial burden of treatment co-payments. “She’s been my rock,” said the 66-year-old winner. “Just the fact that I’m able to help puts me over the moon.”
Asked if the experience has kindled any interest in playing the Lottery again, “Faithful Daughter” exclaimed, “With scratch-offs, yes!”
Also getting a lift is Royal Food Mart at 12500 Livingston Road in Fort Washington. For selling a top-prize winning scratch-off, the store receives a bonus of $500 from the Lottery. The bonus is equal to 1 percent of the prize.
