BALTIMORE, MD – A Rosedale woman’s New Year celebration turned into a life-changing moment when she claimed the $1 million top prize in the Maryland Lottery Holiday Raffle, drawn on Jan. 2 — a date she says holds deep personal meaning.
Karen L., who asked that her last name not be released, said her winning ticket, number 136188, felt like a gift from her late mother. The drawing coincided with her mother’s birthday, and Karen believes that connection brought her luck. “I think it is my mom again. She is helping me with my retirement,” she said after claiming her prize Jan. 7 at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
Karen waited until Jan. 5 to check her ticket and was stunned when her Maryland Lottery app displayed the message, “Go to Lottery.” Initially assuming she had won one of the $100,000 second-tier prizes, she visited a 7-Eleven store on Reisterstown Road in Pikesville, where the clerk scanned her ticket and confirmed the life-changing win.
The Baltimore County resident said she plays regularly but decided to try the $20 Holiday Raffle ticket for the first time this year. She plans to use her winnings to buy a new car, renovate her home, and boost her retirement savings. “It still hasn’t hit me yet,” she said.
The Holiday Raffle ran from Nov. 3 through Jan. 1, drawing winners from 237,206 tickets sold statewide. The promotion included a single $1 million prize, 10 prizes of $100,000, and thousands of smaller cash awards ranging from $50 to $500.
A Rosedale woman credited her late mother’s birthday for her $1 million Maryland Lottery Holiday Raffle win.