Severn shopper’s simple gesture leads to unexpected $1 million lottery win
SEVERN, Md. – A routine stop at a Walmart checkout line turned into a life-changing moment for a Severn man whose split-second decision to let another shopper move ahead led to a chain of events that ended with a $1 million Maryland Lottery win.
Ryan, who had been picking up items for his mother at the Walmart on George Clauss Boulevard, let a woman behind him step ahead during a recent visit. She handed him two $10 scratch-offs as a thank you gift, setting the stage for a series of unexpected wins.
One of the tickets earned a $50 prize, which Ryan used to buy two $1,000,000 Crossword scratch-offs. One of those held the $1 million top prize.
He shared the details when he claimed the prize on Tuesday at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore, noting that he also had a $500 winning ticket he intended to redeem that same day.
After receiving the gifted tickets, Ryan scratched only the prize check areas to reveal the QR codes. When he scanned them on the store’s lottery vending machine, one displayed the message instructing him to see lottery officials. He said he recognized the message as a signal of a significant win but did not know the amount.
Ryan first believed the prize was $10,000 before realizing he had misread the amount by a factor of 100. That realization marked the start of his celebration.
The timing of the win eased financial pressure as Ryan and his fiancée prepare for their upcoming wedding. Ryan works as a carpet cleaner and collects rare coins, and he said some of the winnings will be used to buy new cars for both of them.
The Walmart location will receive a $1,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
According to the Maryland Lottery, Ryan is the first $1 million winner on Maryland’s new $25 scratch-off, which launched earlier this month with four top prizes. Three remain unclaimed as of Thursday, along with several six-figure and lower-tier prizes.
Key Points
- Severn man wins $1 million after receiving lottery scratch-offs from a fellow shopper
- A $50 win from the gifted tickets led him to purchase the top-prize scratch-off
- Maryland Lottery confirms he is the first $1 million winner on the new $25 ticket