Bowie grandma says $50,000 lottery win a "blessing"

Winning the $50,000 top prize on the Maryland Lottery’s Deluxe Crossword 6^th edition game was a thrill for Linda Bolt of Bowie, who said the real celebration will come when she shares the windfall with her family.

The mother of four sons and grandmother of eight says “everyone will get something.” She added, “Seeing their faces and being excited about it will be the celebration for me.”

The 61-year-old retired to take care of her aging mother. She is very grateful for the Lottery win, saying, “This is truly a blessing.”

A Prince George’s County resident, Linda enjoys playing scratch-off games and says it’s most exciting “when you win.” Day to day, she plays for “the excitement of scratching to see if you win and what you win.” Previously, she picked up small prizes and one $500 win.

She found her lucky scratch-off at Harris Teeter #324 in Bowie. Linda scratched off her $5 instant ticket and initially thought she won a small amount. Then, she checked it using the Maryland Lottery app on her smartphone.

“When I looked at the app, it said, $50,000,” Linda recalled. She could barely contain her excitement. She rushed home and checked the prize amount again with family members bearing witness. Sure enough, her big win was real!

Sharing in Linda’s luck is Harris Teeter #324 at 15501 Annapolis Road in Bowie. The Prince George’s County retailer receives a bonus of $500 for selling a $50,000 top-prize winning scratch-off. The bonus is equal to 1% of the prize total.

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