Confusion about size of Peppermint Payout Multiplier scratch-off win gives way to excitement
A State of Maryland employee from Rosedale who retired after 42 years of service got a $30,000 financial bump — after figuring out there was nothing wrong with her Peppermint Payout Multiplier instant ticket.
“I’m just grateful I won it!” she said when claiming her $30,000 top prize in the game at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. A few days before her visit to the Lottery Winner’s Circle, the lucky lady bought the scratch-off from a vending machine at BJ’s Wholesale Club #040 in White Marsh.
When playing scratch-offs, she wants to know quickly if she won. The loyal player scratched the prize check area in the lower right corner of the $3 instant ticket and scanned it at the vending machine. The Baltimore County resident got a message directing her to take the scratch-off to Lottery headquarters.
“I thought there was something wrong with the ticket,” she said. The player then checked the scratch-off for a win using the app on her phone and also asked a clerk for help without getting a firm answer about the size of her prize. Finally, she scratched the entire instant ticket and played the game. That’s when it became obvious she won $30,000.
A player since the Maryland Lottery began in 1973, the winner has won smaller amounts over the years. Her prizes began with a $40 win on a 50-cent ticket shortly after the Lottery went live.
“I won $40 and you would have thought I won a million dollars!” she recalled.
She has enjoyed playing the Lottery for five decades but confessed she hasn’t given much thought to her plans for the $30,000 windfall. “It’s like a fairy tale. You just don’t know what to do when you get it!” she said.
Also benefiting from her Lottery luck is her retailer. For selling a top-prize winning scratch-off, the White Marsh BJ’s located at 4201 Wholesale Club Drive receives a $300 bonus from the Lottery. The bonus is equal to 1% of the prize.
