CLOSE CALL
I had $30k winning lottery ticket for 5 days and came moments from losing it all – I called my daughter to reveal truth
The father of four was the first-ever winner of the top prize
A RETIREE was unaware that he was $30,000 richer as he obliviously walked around with a winning ticket for five days.
Jorge Baez Ventura from Bowie, Maryland, won twice in one day but failed to realize the second win until days later.
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The retired contractor bought $20 worth of scratch-off tickets at Hampton Mall Exxon in Capitol Heights, located on the southeast Washington DC border, earlier this month.
One of the lucky scratch-offs came back with a $3 win.
Rather than pocket the loose change, Ventura bought a Fast Play Battleship ticket.
He gave himself a strict budget for lottery tickets that day and luckily he had enough for one attempt to win on a Battleship ticket.
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Despite immediately winning $30,000, Ventura did not realize until he almost threw his ticket in the trash.
Five days after winning the money, he checked the ticket again and discovered that he won the top prize.
The Fast Play Battleship game went on sale in 2023 and Ventura was the first player to win one of the 10 top prizes.
He immediately called his daughter to tell her the story of how he nearly threw away $30,000.
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When he went to the Maryland Lottery headquarters to get his prize, the retiree revealed to officials what he plans to do with the windfall.
With a wife and four children, Ventura said that much of it will go toward providing for and looking after his family.
Theodorus Struyck is spending time with son away from his humble $90,000 home he remortgaged before $1b lottery win
He also hopes to get a trip to the Dominican Republic out of the win.
Ventura is not the only person to win some cash with the exact same $3 lottery ticket.
The Hampton Mall Exxon will also be rewarded $300 for selling the winning ticket.
There are now nine more tickets worth $30,000 as well as over 35 opportunities to win a value of $1,000.
Top lottery winners in the US
Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.
- Edwin Castro - $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022, in California.
- Theodorus Struyck - $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, in California.
- Unknown winner - $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, in Florida.
- Marvin and Mae Acosta from Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson from Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt from Melbourne Beach, Florida - $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016.
- Unknown winner - $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
- Unknown winner - he sued the mother of his child to keep his identity hidden - $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, from Maine.
- Unknown winner - $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
- Unknown winner - $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
- Yanira Alvarez - $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
- Wolverine FLL Lottery Club - $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, from Michigan.
- Unknown winner - $842.4 million Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024, from Michigan.
However, those happy with smaller amounts can be reassured that there are still 3,478 tickets with $100 prizes up for grabs.
Prizes for the Battleship game range from $3 to $30,000 with the odds of winning any prize at 1 in 3.45.
Meanwhile, neighbors in Maryland are being urged to check their lottery tickets as two jackpots from nearby stores have been left unclaimed.
Read More on The US Sun
The winning RACETRAX tickets were sold in Ocean City with one worth $27,200 and another with the value of $13,760.
Both tickets were purchased on April 12 just yards away from each other on Coastal Highway.