National

Lottery player sits in car ‘shaking’ after big win. ‘Wondered if I was dreaming’

A lucky lottery player from Laurel, Maryland, was left in disbelief when he scored a lottery game’s top prize.
A lucky lottery player from Laurel, Maryland, was left in disbelief when he scored a lottery game’s top prize. Giorgio Trovato via Unsplash

A man was left “shaking” in his car after realizing he scored a big lottery prize in Maryland.

He won $1 million.

The sales account manager from Laurel was driving to work when he pulled over to make a forgotten phone call, the Maryland Lottery said in a Feb. 23 news release.

That’s when a Maryland Lottery sign caught his attention, he told lottery officials.

He had parked near a convenience store, so he went inside to snag some tickets.

He bought three 100X The Cash tickets for $20 each and started scratching, the lottery office said.

When he got to the last ticket, he had scratched half of it when he saw a $1 million win.

“I sat there in the car shaking,” he told the lottery office Feb. 22. “I really had to grip the steering wheel just to make my hands stop. It was crazy.”

He told lottery officials he was in disbelief.

“I actually wondered if I was dreaming. You know, like when you know you’re dreaming but you hope not to wake up quickly because it’s a happy one,” he said.

Now he has plans to pay off his bills and put money aside for retirement.

“When that important stuff is covered, I’ll take a vacation,” he said.

Laurel is about 20 miles southwest of Baltimore.

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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This story was originally published February 26, 2024 at 11:36 AM with the headline "Lottery player sits in car ‘shaking’ after big win. ‘Wondered if I was dreaming’."

Helena Wegner
McClatchy DC
Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.
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