Baltimore man nearly trashes $50K winning lottery ticket before lucky scan
BALTIMORE, MD — A local educator almost lost out on a $50,000 FAST PLAY prize after misreading his ticket and nearly tossing it in the trash — but a last-second scan saved the win.
The Baltimore man, who used the alias “Tom Ford” when claiming his prize on January 15, hit the top prize on the $5 Snowflake Ca$h FAST PLAY game, purchased on New Year’s Eve at the Boost Mobile store at 3419 Clifton Avenue.
He said he frequently plays small amounts on Maryland Lottery games for fun, rarely expecting a major payout. Before this, his largest win had been under $100.
While reviewing his ticket after the purchase, he believed it was a loss and was about to throw it away. But before doing so, he used the prize-check QR code scanner on the vending machine. The machine prompted him to take the ticket to a clerk — a sign of a larger prize.
Upon closer review, he realized he had missed a match for the number 10, which appeared both in the winning numbers and again on the ticket with a $50,000 prize.
Now $50,000 richer, the educator said he plans to buy a truck and begin a side business painting houses.
The Boost Mobile store that sold the winning ticket will receive a $500 bonus from the Maryland Lottery.
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Key Points
- A Baltimore man won $50,000 on a FAST PLAY ticket but nearly threw it away after misreading it
- A quick scan revealed the big win just in time, saving the ticket from the trash
- The winner plans to use the prize to buy a truck and launch a painting side business
