A $100,000-winning scratch-off found its way to Christopher Hudson of Delaware, who won the first of the game’s eight top prizes. Celebrating with him is fiancée Claudia Taylor.
Novice player claims first top prize on $100,000 Crossword 7th Edition scratch-off
Christopher Hudson of Delaware said that it’s rare for him to buy Maryland Lottery scratch-offs when he is across the state line, where he works in retail. But one day recently while on a break, the part-time landscaper headed to an Ocean City 7-Eleven to do just that.
“I barely play scratch-offs,” he said. In fact, the biggest prize Christopher and his fiancée Claudia Taylor have ever won was $1,400 several years ago at Dover Downs Casino in Delaware. When not at his retail job or with Claudia, Christopher is typically busy running his 30-customer landscaping company and thinking about ways to expand the operation.
Thinking that he should take his work break to act on “a feeling” and spend $10 to buy a $100,000 Crossword 7th edition scratch-off was unusual. “I just had a lucky feeling,” he recalls. While still at a 7-Eleven in Ocean City, he scanned the game to check for a win. The message shocked him.
“I was seeing stars when I saw that $100,000,” Christopher recalled. “Thank goodness no one was in the store.” The 30-year-old took the scratch-off to his vehicle and phoned Claudia, who works nearby in a hospitality role. He asked her to come get the instant ticket and take it home for safe keeping because he had to return to work.
“I was freaking out waiting for her,” Christopher said. “I was about to have a heart attack.”
“He calls me and, at first, I thought he was making it up,” Claudia said. The happy couple say the $100,000 prize will help change their lives. Christopher hopes to double the size of his landscaping business with the windfall, using the funds to buy more equipment. “This is perfect timing,” Claudia said.
For its role in selling the $100,000 top-prize winning scratch-off, 7-Eleven #19354 located at 13900 Coastal Highway in Ocean City earns a $1,000 bonus from the Lottery. The $100,000 Crossword 7th Edition game hit the market this summer with eight top prizes; seven remain along with a dozen $10,000 prizes.
