UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — A Prince George’s County lottery player known as “Snooky” has become the first winner of a $50,000 top prize in Maryland’s new Big Money scratch-off game.
The longtime lottery fan, who has played for 18 years, usually sticks to Pick 3 but decided to try something new after a conversation with another customer at Kettering BP in Upper Marlboro.
“I was talking to another customer about the Lottery,” she recalled. “He told me he’d been having great luck with scratch-offs and hadn’t played anything else since.”
Taking the advice, she spent $10 on two scratch-offs—one of which was the Big Money ticket. Initially thinking she had won $500, she soon realized the real prize was $50,000.
“I screamed so loud and ran out of the store. I was so excited!” she said.
“Snooky” plans to use her winnings to pay bills, take a vacation with her husband, and boost her savings. She also hinted that she may shift her lottery strategy. “I might just stick with scratch-offs from now on,” she said.
The Big Money game launched on Feb. 10 with seven $50,000 top prizes—six remain unclaimed. For selling the winning ticket, Kettering BP will receive a $500 bonus from the Maryland Lottery.