When Eliezer Adari and Patrick Meers walked into the Winner’s Circle at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore recently, six safes sat on a table, all with cash amounts locked away inside.
The two Baltimore County residents, Eliezer from Owings Mills and Patrick from Towson, were randomly selected to participate in the first Unlock the Cash Second-Chance Promotion Live Game for the chance to win up to $25,000.
Each winner had the opportunity to select two safe combinations and input the numbers on each safe until one opened. The safes contained sealed envelopes with cash amounts ranging from $2,500 to $15,000. After Eliezer and Patrick each picked their first envelopes, they were directed to open them at the same time to reveal their prizes. Eliezer won $2,500 and Patrick had $10,000.
Suspense grew as they each opened their second safe and took the envelopes from inside. Lottery host Mike Powell instructed Eliezer and Patrick to wait for the count of three to open their envelopes and find out how much more they each won. After an extended count, the men ripped open the envelopes to reveal their prizes. Eliezer received another $2,500 for a total of $5,000. Patrick revealed $15,000, which gave him a total of $25,000.
Patrick, a former U.S. Marine who works for a local health insurance company, told Lottery officials he had an incredible experience. “What an event. The prize was wonderful and I am extremely grateful and lucky.”
When Lottery officials asked Eliezer what he planned to do with his prize, the retiree replied with a smile and said, “Buy more tickets!”
The Unlock the Cash second-chance promotion began Aug. 22. Players who enter $10 worth of non-winning Break the Bank scratch-offs and/or any FAST PLAY Cash Combination tickets into My Lottery Rewards automatically receive an entry into the promotion. Two drawings remain — Oct. 9 and Nov. 6 — with two winners being selected each time who will come to Lottery headquarters to play the Unlock the Cash Live Game.
