A loyal lottery player was left in “disbelief” after scratching an instant ticket in Maryland, officials said.
The Baltimore woman bought a $100,000 Crossword 7th Edition scratch-off, according to a May 2 news release by the Maryland Lottery. She had no clue it was carrying the $100,000 top prize.
“You play to win but as long as I’ve been playing, I never thought I would win this much money or at all,” she told lottery officials.
The woman has been playing games for more than 30 years and said doing so “reminds her of her youth,” officials said. Crossword-themed games are usually her “go-to.”
She bought two $10 instant tickets and quickly learned the first was a dud, officials said. Then the second one revealed the huge prize.
After learning of her prize, the woman stood “still, frozen with confusion,” officials said.
She raced home to tell her husband the lucky news, officials said.
He didn’t believe her at first, then she had him scan the ticket to confirm the win, officials said.
“I have no idea what I’ll do with the money or how I’ll spend it but I plan on being smart with it. Who knows if I’ll ever be in this position again,” she told officials.
The woman has no plans to stop playing the lottery either, she told officials.
“I’ve always played,” the winner said in the release. “I will probably always play. I even played before I came in today (to headquarters.) Playing the Lottery is just something I enjoy doing. The icing on the cake is winning! I really hope I can win again.”
The woman won the seventh top prize, meaning one is waiting to be claimed, officials said.
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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