New Joker’s Wild ticket gives up first of its eight top prizes
Thanks to a well-timed $50,000 win on a Maryland Lottery scratch-off ticket, a Harford County man who is in the process of having a new home built will be able to include a feature strongly favored by his wife: a screened-in porch.
“This worked out perfectly,” the player said Aug. 1 when he claimed the prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters.
Every now and again, he plays Mega Millions or Powerball if the jackpot is high, and there was a time he was enthusiastic about Pick 3, but as he has aged – he is a few years shy of retirement – the pace of scratch-off tickets has increasingly appealed to him.
“I buy a few scratch-offs every day,” he said, noting that his daily selections typically include a variety of games and price points. Over the years, he says he has won “a little here and a little there. It’s been fun.” Prior to his $50,000 hit, his previous personal best was a $5,000 win, also on a scratch-off ticket.
For his big win, he purchased a $5 Joker’s Wild ticket, a game that made its debut on July 22, only days before his purchase.
When he scratched the game, he immediately uncovered a square that showed a $5,000 win, which he figured was a tidy sum to win. Then he kept scratching and “it just kept going!”
Ultimately, the ticket showed 10 separate wins of $5,000 each for the $50,000 total.
The winner thought, “This can’t be real.” Turns out, though it was real, making the porch a reality too.
The winner and his wife are planning a crab feast, and an Atlantic cruise to celebrate. Also having reason to celebrate is the store where the winner buys nearly all his Lottery tickets, Carroll Mart at 2906 Churchville Road in Churchville. The store receives a bonus of $500, equal to 1% of the prize.
The Harford County win is the first of the game’s eight top tier prizes to be claimed. It also has nine remaining prizes at the $5,000 level, 28 at the $1,000 level and tens of thousands ranging from $5 to $500.
