BALTIMORE, Md. — A routine grocery run turned into a life-changing payday for a Baltimore County couple after a $10 Money Bags scratch-off ticket won them $250,000.
Paul, a truck driver, said he and his wife Gelila were checking off their list at the Food Lion on North Point Road when they nearly walked past the store’s lottery vending machine. Short on time, they debated whether to turn back, but ultimately did — a decision that delivered one of the game’s top prizes.
“She just picked the first one she saw,” Paul said of his wife’s ticket selection.
He was outside mowing the lawn later when Gelila came out with news. At first, Paul guessed they’d won $500. But when she kept gesturing higher, he realized the win was far beyond anything they had expected.
The win is one of five top prizes in the $10 Money Bags game, which launched in February. The first was claimed in May by a D.C. resident. Now, Paul and Gelila join the exclusive group of winners as the second to hit the quarter-million-dollar jackpot.
The couple plans to put the winnings toward bills and home renovations, with funds left for something enjoyable.
The Food Lion that sold the winning ticket will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Maryland Lottery. As of June 2, three top prizes remain unclaimed, along with additional prizes up to $50,000.
