John and Natalie Long show off their TAXES-PAID $50,000 win. |
Wins $50,000 (taxes-paid) Playing Tax Free $50,000 Scratch-off
Avid scratch-off player John Long was still in shock yesterday when arriving at Lottery headquarters to claim his $50,000 win. The win was extra special – and extra-profitable – for Long because the taxes on the prize were paid by the Lottery.
Long, a 61-year-old grandfather of three, bought the ticket Saturday after a full day of work at the Maryland Wholesale Market. He bought four of the Tax Free $50,000 scratch-off tickets and sat in his car to play them. “It’s a good thing I wasn’t driving,” said the happy winner. “When I saw that I had won, I jumped out the car and did a little victory dance.”
John then drove home to share the news with his wife, Natalie, who wanted to make sure it was real. “I wasn’t so sure,” she said to Lottery officials. “But, when I checked it, I knew he was telling the truth.”
The couple said they will use some of the winnings to pay off bills and will put the rest aside for their family. “Maybe we’ll take a vacation sometime down the road,” he said. The winning ticket was purchased at Frankford Garden located at 5418 Sinclair Lane in Baltimore.