Avid scratch-off player celebrates $10,000 win
A stay-at-home mom from Baltimore got the surprise of a lifetime on March 1 – a $10,000 prize, courtesy of a Blingo Bingo scratch-off.
While her sister visited the post office, the lucky winner ventured across the street to Mel’s Liquors located at 1813 Pennsylvania Avenue in Baltimore. She purchased three scratch-offs. The 67-year-old scratched the first two instant tickets after rejoining her sister in the post office, but didn’t win anything. The third scratch-off, which was the lucky Blingo Bingo ticket that was hiding a $10,000 prize, remained untouched until later.
“I got home and I put my glasses on, I put my feet up and I put the light on and started scratching,” she said. “I got down to the last card at the end, and I said, ‘I never win anything on the one at the end.’ ”
However, bingo card 8 is where her big win happened! “I realized I had the four corners, and I kept looking at it and I said, ‘That’s the X … this is $10,000!’ ” she said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
The next morning, our winner and her sister went to a Lottery retailer to scan the ticket and confirm the prize. They received the message from the ticket checker that every Lottery player hopes to see: Cash at Lottery.
The lucky winner said she has no special plans for the prize. She’ll put it into savings and buy gifts for her sister and nephew, who accompanied her to Lottery headquarters to claim the prize. The win was the biggest ever for this scratch-off enthusiast, who said she plays as often as she can. Her previous best was a $1,000 prize several years ago.
The Bingo Bingo ticket launched last April, and one of its $100,000 top prizes remains unclaimed. There is also one more $10,000 prize awaiting discovery at Lottery retailers across the state.