“Gold Rush Couple” from Baltimore are vacation bound after winning a $50,000 top prize.
Baltimore couple plan to travel after second big Lottery win
A Baltimore City man partial to $30 scratch-offs was rewarded for his loyalty a second time in late December. His $50,000 win playing the Lottery’s $2,000,000 Gold Rush instant game will soon have he and his wife enjoying the easy life on a relaxing vacation.
“I buy a scratch ticket every week or so,” the bakery employee told Lottery officials on Wednesday. “And, whichever I choose, it’ll always be a $30 game.” He lists these games’ bigger prizes and better odds among his reasons. His preference was undoubtedly cemented by a $100,000 win on a $30 instant ticket several years ago. “It’s the only way I play now.”
Driving home from work a few days before Christmas, the city resident stopped at Discount Cigarettes on Ritchie Highway to pick up a couple of scratch-offs for the holiday. “I saw that they had $2,000,000 Gold Rush so I bought two.”
A $40 win on the first instant ticket didn’t surprise him too much, but the prize he uncovered on the second game left him breathless. “I walked out, drove home and put the ticket down on the table in front of my wife.” Having so far been stunned into silence by the $50,000 win, his first words were, “Honey, you’re not going to believe this. …”
The anonymous pair, who chose the nickname “Gold Rush Couple” to tell the story of their Lottery luck, say they dedicated their first big win to paying bills and debts, paying the mortgage and helping their family. “This one’s going to be for us,” they said, adding that the prize is for “pure enjoyment.”
The $2,000,000 Gold Rush game debuted in February of 2022 with five top prizes, of which one remains. This $50,000 second-tier win is the last of the eight the game originally offered. Discount Cigarettes, the lucky Lottery retailer, can be found at 5716 Ritchie Highway in Brooklyn Park.
