Claims top prize on Diamond Bingo game after recovering lost ticket
As part of her Lottery routine, an Anne Arundel County woman buys a batch of Maryland Lottery scratch-offs the first week of every month. What isn’t routine, says “Trixey,” is finding a Diamond Bingo scratch-off worth $30,000 misplaced beneath a bread basket in her kitchen.
The lucky player buys her games at different retailers. Sometimes the instant tickets pile up, she says, with some left on counters and some in drawers. A trip to Giant #194 in Annapolis to purchase mayonnaise and bread included the purchase of the big instant ticket, as well as nine other scratch-offs. But, as sometimes happens, the best of the bunch ended up sitting on a counter.
Upon returning home from Giant, “Trixey” first enjoyed a crab dinner. Then, she remembered playing some Lottery games. When she played the winning Diamond Bingo game, she failed to notice the significance of the fourth bingo card in the play area.
“I didn’t see the X,” she said. Presuming it was no big deal, she set the game aside. The card made its way under the bread basket in the same way that socks find their way into inconvenient hiding places. It was soon forgotten.
Fortunately for “Trixey,” her Lottery routine includes gathering her tickets from drawers, counters and other hiding spots to check for winners. The 54-year-old takes the extra step because her vision isn’t as sharp as it once was. During the process, she took the Diamond Bingo card to a nearby 7-Eleven to scan. That’s when she saw the message: “Congratulations, you won $30,000.” Taken aback, she wasn’t sure at first if the prize was $300, $3 million, or something in between.
The 7-Eleven clerk told her to take the instant ticket to Lottery headquarters in Baltimore to claim her prize. The Annapolis resident doesn’t have a car, so she put the ticket in a secure location until she could arrange a ride to Baltimore. With her winnings, “Trixey” hopes to buy a car and share some of her prize with her brother.
“Trixey” found the first of seven $30,000 top prizes available in the new Diamond Bingo game, which went on sale July 19. This second edition of the game offers players the chance to win prizes of $3 to $30,000.
For its role in the big win, Giant #194 located at 2323 Forest Drive in Annapolis earns a $300 bonus from the Lottery. The bonus is equal to 1% of the prize.
