Talk about being grateful for any monetary win.
But a woman’s recent lottery win made her do a double-take while providing a classic lesson on why you should always double-check your lottery tickets.
The Maryland resident thought she won just $75 with a lottery ticket, but after scanning the ticket it dawned on her that she had hit the jackpot, walking away with a much larger cash prize, according to a Maryland Lottery April 29 news release.
The big winner, a medical worker who used the nickname “Baby Grand” while claiming the prize, had actually scored $50,000 with a Deluxe Crossword scratch-off she purchased in Queen Anne’s County, according to officials.
She originally thought she only matched three black words and two red words for a $75 prize but missed some additional words.
“After I finish scratching my tickets, I always get out my phone and scan them on the Lottery app,” she explained.
She made the right call, because after scanning her ticket, she discovered that she actually matched four red words and four black words. As a result, she saw that she’d won the top prize.
“I was in shock. I didn’t believe it. I scanned it 10 times to make sure,” “Baby Grand” told officials.
The medical worker plans to use the money to pay off bills and save the rest.
Deluxe Crossword went on sale on Sept. 18, 2023, and “Baby Grand” is the game’s fifth top-prize winner. Three $500,000 prizes remain unclaimed.
The winning ticket was sold at Chester Exxon at 120 Chester Station Lane in Queen Anne’s County. The Eastern Shore retailer will receive a $500 bonus for selling the winning scratch-off, according to the news release.