National

Lottery player thought he broke even on Maryland ticket — but he missed a few zeros

The man thought he won a small prize - but “thought wrong,” he told lottery officials.
The man thought he won a small prize - but “thought wrong,” he told lottery officials. Colin Watts via Unsplash

A 65-year-old man in Maryland got a shock of a lifetime when he realized he mistakenly read the prize on his lottery ticket.

The Glen Burnie man bought a $10 Gold X50 scratch-off ticket from the Buy N Go in his town and scratched it off as he left the store, he told lottery officials in a May 17 news release.

He thought he broke even and won a small $10 prize, then he looked again at the ticket.

“I thought wrong,” he told lottery officials. What he really landed was the $100,000 top prize in the game.

The man, who retired two years ago, told lottery officials he plans to help support his family with the win.

The Buy N Go that sold the lucky ticket received a $1,000 bonus, according to the Maryland Lottery.

Glen Burnie is about 15 miles south of Baltimore.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

Read Next
Read Next
Read Next
Read Next

This story was originally published May 18, 2023 at 3:51 PM with the headline "Lottery player thought he broke even on Maryland ticket — but he missed a few zeros."

Alison Cutler
mcclatchy-newsroom
Alison Cutler is a National Real Time Reporter for the Southeast at McClatchy. She graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University and previously worked for The News Leader in Staunton, VA, a branch of USAToday.
Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
#ReadLocal

Only 44¢ per day

SUBSCRIBE NOW