Hagerstown, MD – A 68-year-old woman from Washington County experienced an unexpected thrill when she won a $30,000 top prize on a scratch-off ticket she had never played before. Preferring to remain anonymous, the winner, who chose the nickname “Big J” to share her story, claimed her prize at the Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
The fortunate player discovered her winning scratch-off, a Red Hot Cash ticket, at Walmart #1674 in Hagerstown while she was there with her husband to collect prescription medication. While waiting for the prescription to be filled, she wandered the aisles and stumbled upon a Lottery vending machine.
Normally purchasing four or five $10 scratch-offs, “Big J” decided to try something different and added the $3 Red Hot Cash game to her selection. After leaving the store and waiting in her car for her husband, she began scratching off her instant tickets.
To her amazement, “Big J” uncovered the $30,000 prize and was left “floored, shocked, and overwhelmed with disbelief.” Excitedly, she showed the winning ticket to her husband, who confirmed the victory. To be certain, they visited another store to verify the prize before returning home to secure the instant ticket in a safe place.
When asked about her plans for the newfound fortune, “Big J” expressed her intention to pay off her home mortgage. As a mother of three and grandmother of three, she also plans to provide financial assistance to her family. Additionally, she mentioned that she will continue playing scratch-off games, as they bring excitement and anticipation to her week.
“The Lottery gives me something to look forward to throughout the week,” she shared. “You never know what could happen that could change your life.”
In addition to the winner’s happiness, Walmart #1674 in Washington County will receive a $300 bonus from the Maryland Lottery for selling the top-prize winning scratch-off.