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While heading south to celebrate the birthday of a family member in Maryland, a woman from Long Island found herself inside a 7-Eleven location in Silver Spring, where she made a pitstop to get a drink for her daughter.
She came out of the convenience store with more than a carton of milk.
The woman took a flier on a Maryland Lottery scratcher, which led to her claiming a jackpot-winning $50,000 reward in the “$50,000 Cash” game.
“My mom came in the store with me,” the 26-year-old, soon-to-be mother of two said to Lottery officials. “She was the one who suggested I buy a ticket.”
It worked out pretty well for the Hampton Bays resident, whose mother plays lotto tickets daily on Long Island.
“Mom always says, ‘You never know,’ and, man, was she right.”
Ironically, the New York native said that she doesn’t typically play tickets that cost more than $10, though she decided to splurge on a whim at the Silver Spring 7-Eleven while visiting family in Maryland.
“My boyfriend and I never play tickets that cost more than $10, but I decided to do it, just this once.”
While still at the store, the woman scratched her instant ticket and suddenly realized that she won a five-figure prize.
“I saw right away that I’d won $50,000, it was crazy. I showed my boyfriend and he agreed. I was stunned,” she said. The muted celebration didn’t last long, as her lotto-loving mother got into the car with her.
“My mom couldn’t speak at first. Then she started screaming, ‘I told you, I told you. You never know!’”
According to Lottery officials, the couple is planning to use their winnings to welcome home their newborn child, while the 7-Eleven location on New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring will enjoy a little $500 bonus from Maryland Lottery for selling the jackpot-winning prize.
The “$50,000 Cash” game debuted in December with 160 top prizes. The New York woman represents the 37th time that a Maryland Lottery player has claimed a jackpot. There are also $5,000 second-tier prizes out there waiting for lucky lotto players.
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