Lottery player thinks ticket is a loser but scans it anyway. ‘Lord, I was blown away’

A Maryland man who stopped to buy a cold drink and cash in a winning scratch-off ticket worth $50 left with a much larger prize , lottery officials said.

But he didn’t realize it until the next day, according to an Aug. 27 Maryland Lottery news release.

“My son and I were thirsty, it was a hot day,” the Baltimore man said. “I sent him to grab the drinks and I cashed my big winner.”

While cashing his $50 winner, he noticed the store sold Gold Bar Bingo 5th Edition tickets, telling lottery officials that he has “done really well” with that game and buys it whenever he sees it, according to the release.

He bought a ticket and saved it for later, lottery officials said.

“I scratched it and didn’t see the win, but just to be sure, I scanned it with my lottery app,” the HVAC technician told lottery officials.

After seeing his ticket was a top prize winner worth $50,000 he looked it over again, realizing he’d forgotten to count a free space, according to the release.

“A $50,000 win? Good Lord, I was blown away,” the winner said. “This is a big, big deal for my family. It’s come at just the right moment for us.”

He plans to use his winnings to pay bills and cover medical expenses, lottery officials said.

The ticket was purchased at Normandy Wine & Spirits in Ellicott City, according to lottery officials.

Ellicott City is about a 40-mile drive northeast from Washington, D.C.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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