Groundskeeper wins jackpot in MD lottery — and will use it to take care of mom
A groundskeeper won the top prize in a Maryland lottery game and knew immediately how he’d use half a million dollars, officials said.
“A new home for his mother was all that he could talk about while claiming the $500,000 Bonus Bingo X20 prize,” officials said in an April 4 news release.
The man plays the lottery once a week but usually springs for less expensive tickets, he told officials. He bought the $20 ticket during his lunch break.
“I paid for my food and soda and saw that I had $20 left in my wallet,” he said. “So, I decided to splurge on a $20 ticket, and Bonus Bingo was the first one I saw.”
He didn’t scratch his ticket until later that evening, “and it wasn’t until he’d scanned it on a family member’s Lottery app that he could accept the enormity of his prize,” officials said.
“I’ve had some good wins with scratch-off tickets, even $1,000 once, but this was beyond anything I ever thought could happen,” he said.
He thanked God upon winning — but not necessarily for the money itself, he told officials. Instead he’s grateful he’ll be able to take care of his mother and his family.
“To be able to buy the home of her dreams is such a blessing,” he told officials.
Beyond that, he may also consider starting his own groundskeeping business, officials said.
His winning ticket was the first top prize claimed in the game since it debuted in mid-January, officials said.
This story was originally published April 4, 2025 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Groundskeeper wins jackpot in MD lottery — and will use it to take care of mom."
