BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – A Baltimore retiree took aim, fired a spread of three “torpedoes” and hit her target last week, sinking a ship to win $30,000. The 85-year-old claimed a top prize on the Lottery’s BOARDGAME BONUS® scratch-off.
The lucky player told Lottery officials that picking up the odd scratch-off is just part of her way to pass the time. “I like to crochet, paint and play scratch-offs,” she said. “I also used to do a bit of traveling.”
During a recent trip to Club Paradise, which is an area Baltimore store, the lucky lady decided to pick up the BOARDGAME BONUS scratch-off. The $3 instant ticket features a trio of board game-themed scratch areas: Connect 4™, Yahtzee™ and Battleship™. The game was familiar because she had won $30 playing it a month ago.
She scratched the instant ticket in the store, revealing the three play areas one by one. When she uncovered the Battleship™ area, she saw three “torpedo” emblems and a prize that she initially dismissed as $3. However, the store clerk examined the ticket and became excited, telling her that she had won $30,000.
“I thought the clerk made a mistake,” said the winner. “You never think it could happen to you.”
Her doubts were replaced with joy when the clerk produced a customer claim slip from the store’s Lottery terminal showing the five-digit prize looming large at the bottom of the paper slip.
The lucky retiree told Lottery officials that having extra money is always helpful for someone on a fixed income. With a nice boost to her bank account, the lucky lady may soon do something she hasn’t done in a while – pack her bags for a bit of travel!
The BOARDGAME BONUS scratch-off went on sale in June, featuring thousands of prizes from $3 to $30,000. There are three unclaimed $30,000 top prizes remaining along with 19 $1,000 prizes.
The retailer that sold the winning ticket was Club Paradise located at 1300 Laurens Street in Baltimore. For selling the top-prize winning scratch-off, the lucky Lottery retailer earned a $300 bonus from the Lottery.