Baltimore, MD – What started as a quick trip to grab ice ended in a life-changing moment for a Baltimore County man who scratched his way to a $1 million prize on a Maryland Lottery ticket, using nothing but a lucky pocket knife and a $20 bill.
The winner, who identified himself only as “Tank,” made the unplanned purchase at Hob’s Carroll Motor Fuels on North Point Road in Sparrows Point, asking the cashier to simply “pick me a winner.” Hours later, sitting at home, the utility worker scratched off a single matching number—27, a number he says carries significance in his family—and began revealing what would become a string of zeros that led to a seven-figure prize.
“I thought it was $100, then $1,000,” Tank recalled. “It kept going.” He eventually realized the ticket was worth the top prize of $1 million.
He immediately phoned his wife to share the news and sent a photo of the ticket to relatives, one of whom replied in disbelief, asking if it was real. The windfall comes with a bonus for the selling store, which will receive $1,000 from the Maryland Lottery.
Tank said he used the same pocket knife that once helped him scratch off a $10,000-winning ticket years ago. He now plans to put the money toward retirement and continue enjoying time on the water, one of his favorite pastimes.
The winning ticket came from the new “All About Cash” scratch-off game, which launched July 18. Tank’s ticket is the first of five available $1 million top prizes. Four remain unclaimed, along with four $50,000 second-tier prizes and thousands more ranging from $40 to $10,000.
Key Points
- Baltimore County man wins $1 million on Maryland Lottery scratch-off
- Winning ticket purchased at Hob’s Carroll Motor Fuels in Sparrows Point
- Four more $1 million prizes still unclaimed in the “All About Cash” game
A Baltimore man’s $20 scratch-off turned into $1 million thanks to a lucky number and a pocket knife.
