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Lottery player tried to win ‘here and there’ for a decade — and it finally paid off

A decade ago, a Maryland man started playing lottery games “here and there” after winning a small prize on a scratch-off ticket.
A decade ago, a Maryland man started playing lottery games “here and there” after winning a small prize on a scratch-off ticket. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A decade ago, a Maryland man started playing lottery games “here and there” after winning a small prize on a scratch-off ticket.

He usually wins a “little here and there,” Maryland Lottery officials said in a March 27 news release.

When he bought a $5 20X The Cash scratch-off ticket at an Oxon Hill gas station recently, however, he won a bit more than his usual “small amount.”

The man won $50,000, according to lottery officials.

“I got lucky,” he told lottery officials.

The man told lottery officials he prefers to play instant tickets, as he enjoys the suspense while scratching the ticket to see if it’s a winner.

Though the man said he plans to take a vacation to Florida with his son using his winnings, he told lottery officials he will be “doing some brainstorming” to figure out how to spend the rest.

Oxon Hill is about a 45-mile drive Southwest from 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 March 27, 2024 at 12:17 PM with the headline "Lottery player tried to win ‘here and there’ for a decade — and it finally paid off."

Daniella Segura
McClatchy DC
Daniella Segura is a national real-time reporter with McClatchy. Previously, she’s worked as a multimedia journalist for weekly and daily newspapers in the Los Angeles area. Her work has been recognized by the California News Publishers Association. She is also an alumnus of the University of Southern California and UC Berkeley.
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