SEVERN, Md. – An average day turned into a date to remember for a Severn man, who got a lucky feeling while driving past a local store. The urge to buy a scratch-off was strong so he stopped at the nearby Severn Liquors. Minutes later, he was $1 million richer.
“I just had a hunch,” said the Anne Arundel County player.
The big winner had purchased one $20 Millionaire’s Club scratch-off because he liked the look of the game and because it was relatively new, having arrived in stores in July. The great-grandfather, who works in the restaurant industry, scratched the game off in his car. He matched a winning number on the very first line, revealing his $1 million prize. He was blown away and immediately called his wife.
“I said, ‘Are you sitting down?’” he recalls asking his wife. “I just won $1 million.”
His wife, who accompanied him to Lottery headquarters to claim the prize this week, was shocked, but said her husband often talked about winning a big prize. “He always said he was going to win and be a millionaire one day,” she said.
After telling his wife the extraordinary news, the player went back inside the Lottery retailer to confirm his win. The cashier scanned the instant ticket, verifying the $1 million prize, and they all celebrated before Maryland’s newest millionaire went home to show the scratch-off to his wife in person. Shortly afterward, he scheduled his appointment to claim the prize.
The new millionaire told Lottery officials that he plans to use some of his funds for home improvements and to buy a new car but will save the rest of the funds.
Continuing the celebration is Severn Liquors located at 8265 WB&A Road in Severn. For its role in selling a $1 million top-prize winning scratch-off, the Anne Arundel County business will receive a Lottery bonus of $1,000.
The Millionaire’s Club scratch-off went on sale in July with five $1 million top prizes. The lucky player took home the first one; four remain. Still up for grabs are five $50,000 prizes, 10 $10,000 prizes and many others ranging from $20 to $5,000.
