BALTIMORE, Md. – A Laurel man began the new year in grand fashion, claiming a $100,000 top prize from the Maryland Lottery’s popular Red 5’s Doubler scratch-off game.
The Prince George’s County resident, who works in construction, said he was stunned when he uncovered the winning number on his ticket purchased from the 24/7 Convenience Store at 7707 Old Sandy Spring Road in Laurel. “Let’s start off the New Year right,” he said with a smile while claiming his prize at Lottery headquarters on January 5.
The winner explained that he first scratched off all the numbers to check for matches before revealing the prize amounts. When he matched the number 52, he scratched the prize box and discovered the $100,000 jackpot. “I was in shock. I went home and told my parents,” he said, adding that he plans to buy them a home with the winnings and save the remainder.
The Laurel retailer that sold the winning ticket will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Maryland Lottery.
Introduced on December 5, Red 5’s Doubler has quickly become the state’s top-selling scratch-off. The new Laurel winner is the second player to claim a top prize, following a December winner from Oxon Hill. Seven more $100,000 prizes remain unclaimed, along with thousands of lower-tier prizes worth between $10 and $10,000.