Maryland woman nearly throws away $50K FAST PLAY ticket during soda run
AVENUE, MD — A St. Mary’s County woman is $50,000 richer after an impromptu decision to end her lottery break paid off in a major way — though she nearly tossed the winning ticket in the trash before realizing her luck had changed.
The longtime lottery player, who had taken a hiatus from playing, stopped at Murphy’s Town & Country on Oakley Road on Nov. 14 for a soda and decided to try her luck with a $10 Lucky Numbers FAST PLAY ticket. Rather than purchase it at the counter like usual, she used a self-service kiosk — and unknowingly purchased a top-prize ticket.
After scanning her first ticket and seeing the standard “Not a winner” message, she scanned the second, barely noticing the “Take to Lottery” notification. Mistaking it for another loss, she almost discarded it — until a second glance saved her from throwing away $50,000.
She claimed the prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore on Nov. 17, calling her parents shortly after and admitting she “freaked out” once the realization sank in.
Prior to this win, the largest prize she had ever claimed was $200. The woman, who works as a financial analyst and has two sons, said she plans to use the money to pay down bills and take her family on a trip to the Disney resort in Hawaii.
Murphy’s Town & Country, the retailer that sold the winning ticket, will receive a $500 bonus from the Maryland Lottery.
—
Key Points
- A St. Mary’s County woman won $50,000 on a Lucky Numbers FAST PLAY ticket
- She nearly threw the winning ticket away after misreading the scan message
- The prize will go toward financial planning and a family vacation to Hawaii