HAGERSTOWN, Md. — A birthday tradition between a boss and employee turned into a five-figure windfall after a Maryland woman scratched off a $57,777 winning ticket gifted at work.
Mary Ann Houck of Hagerstown had just received her usual birthday present from her boss — three scratch-off tickets — when one of them revealed the top prize in the Lucky 7s Tripler game. She claimed her winnings Friday after realizing the ticket was worth exactly $57,777.
The $5 Lucky 7s Tripler scratch-off, launched by the Maryland Lottery on May 19, still has seven top prizes remaining. Houck was the first person to claim the game’s top prize since its debut.
In addition to the jackpot, Houck’s second ticket scored a $25 win. She shared the news with her boss, who reportedly thought she was joking until seeing the prize confirmation.
The ticket was purchased at the Giant supermarket located at 3530 Sugarloaf Parkway in Frederick. That store will receive a $577.77 bonus from the Lottery for selling a top-prize winner.
First top prize claimed in Lucky 7s Tripler game
Houck recently marked her 22nd wedding anniversary and has six children with her husband. Her prize was claimed just weeks after the game became available at retailers across the state.
The Lucky 7s Tripler game features hundreds of thousands of additional prizes ranging from $5 to $5,000 still available.
She joins a growing number of Maryland residents winning big on newly released scratch-off games in recent weeks.