HYATTSVILLE, Md. — A routine gas station stop turned into a life-changing moment for a Prince George’s County man who scratched his way to a $100,000 lottery win, officials said.
The New Carrollton resident said buying the ticket wasn’t even planned. While filling up his tank at a Shell station on Annapolis Road in Hyattsville, he decided on a whim to grab a scratch-off.
“While I was pumping the gas I thought, ‘why not grab a scratch-off game,’” the winner said. He walked inside, pointed to a ticket and asked the cashier for it — a decision that quickly paid off.
The ticket turned out to be a top-prize winner in the $10 Red 5’s Doubler game. He scratched it inside the store and scanned it to confirm what he was seeing.
“It said I was a $100,000 winner,” he said. “So, I went to the car to call my wife and tell her.”
His wife initially couldn’t believe the news and urged him to double-check. After confirming the win again and sending proof, the couple realized the prize was real.
The winner rushed home before later heading out to claim the prize. He said the money will go toward paying bills and possibly buying a car for his wife.
The winning ticket was sold at the Shell gas station at 8309 Annapolis Road in Hyattsville. The retailer will receive a bonus for selling the top-prize ticket.
