GAITHERSBURG, Md. — A retired truck driver from Gaithersburg claimed a $100,000 top prize over the weekend in the Maryland Lottery’s Gold Rush 7s Multiplier scratch-off game, surprising both himself and his family. The Montgomery County resident, who previously purchased tickets regularly during his trucking days, had slowed down his Lottery play since retiring.
“I hadn’t bought a ticket in a week, maybe two weeks,” he told Lottery officials, noting that he often forgot about buying tickets now that he was no longer frequenting gas stations. However, while out for a drive on Sunday with his daughter, he was drawn to stop at the Check Cash Depot in Gaithersburg after seeing a Lottery sign.
The retiree selected a $10 Gold Rush 7s Multiplier ticket, a game he remembered having good fortune with in the past. The scratch-off ticket, which debuted in May, features eight $100,000 top prizes, four of which remained unclaimed until this win. After scratching off the ticket, the man quickly realized his good fortune.
“I was in shock,” he said, recalling the moment he saw the winning amount. “I just stood there in the store staring at the ticket. I was frozen, I didn’t know what to do.” His daughter, noticing her father’s reaction, checked the ticket herself and confirmed the win, then hurried him out of the store to celebrate with their family.
The Maryland Lottery confirmed the retiree’s win, reducing the remaining top prizes in the Gold Rush 7s Multiplier game to three. The man expressed his excitement about the unexpected windfall, which marked the largest prize he has ever won.