ESSEX, Md. — A Maryland Lottery player from Essex has claimed a $5 million top prize on a $50 scratch-off ticket, accelerating her retirement plans and marking the first jackpot claimed in the $5,000,000 Fortune game.
The winner, who had planned to retire at the end of the summer, will now step away from work sooner after claiming the windfall on June 24 at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. She purchased the $50 scratch-off from Back River Exxon, located at 100 Back River Neck Road in Essex.
After revealing the winning numbers, she noticed a stack-of-cash symbol in the “Your Numbers” area — an automatic win on the game. Expecting a $50,000 prize, she scanned the QR code and learned the actual prize was $5 million.
The Essex resident had considered not playing the game but ultimately decided to purchase the $50 ticket while buying lunch at her local store.
$5 million ticket sold at Essex gas station
Following confirmation of the win, the player contacted family members before heading to claim the prize. She plans to use the money to purchase a home, buy vehicles for herself and her daughter, help family, and make contributions to her faith community. The rest of the winnings will be invested with plans to draw only from the generated income.
The Back River Exxon that sold the winning ticket will receive a $5,000 bonus from the Maryland Lottery. This is the first top-tier prize claimed from the $5,000,000 Fortune game, which still has two unclaimed $5 million prizes. As of June 24, six of nine $100,000 prizes and eight of nine $50,000 prizes also remain unclaimed.
The $50 game offers tens of thousands of additional prizes ranging from $50 to $10,000.
