Maryland man wins $77,777 in White Elephant gift exchange at holiday party
Avenue, MD – A St. Mary’s County man received an unforgettable holiday surprise when a scratch-off ticket hidden in a bottle of Crown Royal won him $77,777 during a White Elephant gift exchange at his home.
Joshua Hill, who hosted the holiday party in the community of Avenue, ended up with the winning $10 Lucky 7s Multiplier scratch-off ticket—tucked under a beanie on top of the liquor bottle submitted by his wife’s uncle. The unexpected gift ended up being the top prize in the Maryland Lottery’s Lucky 7s Multiplier game.
The winning moment didn’t come right away. Hill said he left the ticket untouched for over a week until his wife decided to scratch it. She scanned the ticket and was shocked by the result. She immediately called her husband to tell him he had won $77,777.
Hill, who works as a facility operations specialist and also runs a cabinet shop, said he’s won small prizes before but let them sit too long. This time, he didn’t hesitate. He visited Maryland Lottery headquarters to claim the prize on December 29.
As for plans with the money, Hill said he has no immediate intentions and will simply bank the winnings for now.
Captain Sam’s Liquors in Bushwood, the retailer that sold the ticket, will receive a $777.77 bonus.
Hill’s ticket was the 11th top prize claimed in the Lucky 7s Multiplier game. According to the Maryland Lottery, six top prizes of $77,777 remain unclaimed, along with 11 second-tier $10,000 prizes and many smaller cash wins.
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Key Points
- St. Mary’s County man won $77,777 during a holiday party White Elephant game
- Scratch-off ticket was hidden under a beanie on a liquor bottle
- Winning ticket was purchased at Captain Sam’s Liquors in Bushwood