Towson-area player taking family to Disney World with winnings
Typically, the loyal Maryland Lottery player gets a charge out of playing Racetrax. However, he forgot all about the animated horses when he scratched off the new $3 2nd edition Bonus Crossword instant ticket and uncovered a $30,000 top prize.
“I jumped up and said, ‘Thank you, Lord!’” recalled the Baltimore player, whose 45th birthday is this month. His lucky win came on March 3, when he was playing Racetrax at McLellan’s Liquors in Baltimore. He decided to pick up a few scratch-offs, too. When the lucky man realized he won, “I got out of there quick,” he said. “I didn’t even check my horses!”
The winner went straight to his car and called his wife. Asked later in the day if she believed her husband’s news about a big Lottery win, she said, “No, not at all. I thought he was playing with me.”
As for enjoying his prize, the winner said he plans to “just take care of my family.” Then, after pondering for a moment, the father added, “We’re going to Disney World!” His teenage daughter was delighted.
The medical field employee plans to continue playing the Lottery in hopes of finding a more massive win. Even if that prize doesn’t materialize, he proclaimed of his $30,000 win: “I’m thankful for it. I’m blessed!”
For selling a top-prize winning scratch-off, McLellan’s Liquors located at 6320 Sherwood Road in Baltimore receives a bonus of $300 from the Lottery. The bonus is equal to 1 percent of the prize.
The 2nd edition of the Bonus Crossword game made its debut on Feb. 24 and shot immediately to the No. 21 spot on the Maryland Lottery Top 40 Scratch-offs chart. The $30,000 winning instant ticket was the first of eight top-prize scratch-offs claimed in the game.