$100K winning lottery ticket nearly lost in world traveler’s wallet for two months
TEMPLE HILLS, MD – A Suitland man returned from an international trip with more than just memories—he unknowingly brought back a $100,000 Maryland Lottery ticket that had been sitting forgotten in his wallet for nearly two months.
The Prince George’s County hotel employee purchased the $20 Holiday Raffle ticket in November from a vending machine at Marlow Wings, located at 4147 Branch Avenue in Temple Hills. He placed the ticket in his wallet just before traveling overseas for an extended family visit and never thought about it again.
During his trip, he frequently accessed his wallet, unaware that a winning ticket was inside the entire time. He later realized there had been multiple opportunities for it to be lost or damaged during his travels.
After returning to Maryland, the longtime Lottery player saw a sign advertising the Holiday Raffle and suddenly remembered the ticket. He searched through his wallet, found the ticket, and scanned it. That scan revealed a $100,000 win—one of only 10 top-tier prizes awarded in the game.
The Maryland Lottery’s Holiday Raffle ran from November 3 to January 1, with a drawing held on January 2. Of the 237,206 sequentially numbered tickets sold, the drawing included one $1 million prize, ten $100,000 prizes, three $50,000 prizes, and thousands of smaller wins ranging from $50 to $500.
The winner claimed his prize on January 12 at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. He also won $50 on another ticket and plans to place the $100,000 into savings.
Holiday Raffle winners have 182 days from the January 2 drawing date to claim prizes. A full list of winning ticket numbers is available on the Maryland Lottery’s website.
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Key Points
- Suitland man unknowingly carried $100,000 winning ticket in his wallet during international trip
- Ticket was purchased at Marlow Wings in Temple Hills before his departure
- Holiday Raffle included 10 top-tier $100,000 prizes among 237,206 tickets sold