Her doubt that she really won a $100,000 top prize had this Silver Spring woman pulling to the side of the road to recheck her instant ticket.
Lucky $100,000 Extreme Cash game gives up another top prize
Senora Smallwood of Silver Spring couldn’t wait to scratch off her new batch of instant tickets. In fact, she didn’t even get out of her car before she began scratching off the games, only to discover a $100,000 top-prize win on the $100,000 Extreme Cash instant ticket.
“I know it could not have won $100,000. I must have read that wrong,” she recalls saying to herself. The Montgomery County scratch-off fan was still thinking about the lucky $30 instant ticket while driving and wound up pulling the car off to the side of the road to get a second look at the game. She confirmed her big win and sent a text to her sister.
“Tell me that is not a $100,000 winner?” Senora said in the text, adding a photo of the lucky instant ticket.
Her sister was shocked. She joined Senora in the Winner’s Circle at Lottery headquarters this week. “I am grateful and happy. If anyone deserves this, it is her,” said the sister.
The lucky lady usually buys scratch-offs four times a week and has been a loyal player for more than 20 years. She also has a superstition, as she prefers to use old nickels from before 2005 to scratch off her instant tickets, Senora won $5,000 on a scratch-off using an old nickel but said it is hard to find those coins. She just happened to obtain an old nickel a day before she won her $100,000 prize.
The 61-year-old, who already had plans to move before her win, said the money will go toward her new living quarters. She also plans to help her granddaughter pay for her higher education.
“I am dedicated to help get my granddaughter through college,” Senora said.
She bought the winning scratch-off at the Wheaton Exxon, which is located at 11310 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. For selling the top-prize winning instant ticket, the Montgomery County retailer will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Lottery. Wheaton Exxon recently sold a $20,000 Mega Millions ticket on Nov. 4
The $100,000 Extreme Cash game went on sale on Sept. 21, 2020. Senora is the 53rd $100,000 winner. There are still 11 top prizes unclaimed along with seven unclaimed $5,000 prizes and others ranging from $30 to $500.
