Buying the last instant ticket in the book made “Chuck the Scratcher” of Eldersburg $100,000 richer. |
Loyal player finds luck with last instant ticket on display at gas station
Maryland Lottery scratch-off fans have different opinions about their odds of winning with the last instant ticket in a book. After a long day at work, an Eldersburg man took a chance and wound up with a $100,000 top-prize win on the new 50x the Cash game.
“It’s funny, I saw a lonely little ticket by itself and, at first, I kind of ignored it,” said the lucky player. “I thought to myself that there’s no way that’s a winner.” Was “Chuck the Scratcher” ever wrong!
His meeting with Lottery luck came on his way home. The 58-year-old noticed his vehicle needed gas just as he neared his favorite Lottery retailer. Deciding to buy gas and indulge his love of playing scratch-offs, the Carroll County man walked into Eldersburg Exxon at 1305 Liberty Road and selected four $5 instant tickets.
“Chuck the Scratcher,” as he dubbed himself, couldn’t resist the urge to scratch off the instant tickets right away. “The tickets were two different types of games,” he said. “I won $5 on each game!”
As he returned to the counter to cash in his $10 win, “Chuck the Scratcher” again noticed the “lonely ticket” and said to himself, “Why not!” He bought the 50x the Cash game with his winnings and left for home.
“Chuck the Scratcher” left the Eldersburg business with his winning scratch-off and headed home. As he was driving, he called his mother as he usually does despite having an urge to scratch off his 50x the Cash game. He pulled the car over and scratched off the ticket.
“When I saw my numbers match the winning numbers, I freaked out,” he reports. “I said to myself, ‘Is this a joke?’ I had to hang up on my mother because I couldn’t believe what happened. When she asked why, I simply said, ‘I’m not sure, but I think I won $100,000!’ ”
The elated winner rushed home to tell his wife the amazing news. He showed her the winning scratch-off but his dubious spouse urged him to go back to the gas station to confirm the prize before he started to celebrate! He plans to spend his winnings on bills and future endeavors.
“Chuck the Scratcher” isn’t the winner in this story; his favorite Lottery retailer also has reason to celebrate. The Eldersburg Exxon will earn a $1,000 bonus from the Lottery for selling a top-prize scratch-off in the game.
The 50x the Cash game went on sale last month as a member of the Multiplier family of scratch-off games and has a fun Multiplier Madness second-chance contest. Other members of the Multiplier family are the $1 5x the Cash game, $2 10x the Cash and $5 20x the Cash games. “Chuck the Scratcher” found the second top-prize winning instant ticket in the game, leaving six more to discover along with nine $50,000 winners and 24 $10,000 winners.