Scratch-off fan wins $50,000 top prize on new Cash Money Blowout game
After a long evening of preparing gourmet dishes at one of Washington County’s popular restaurants, a 42-year-old chef decided to try his luck with one of the Maryland Lottery’s new instant games, Cash Money Blowout. The smile he wore home from work was bigger than any generated by his happy diners’ compliments.
“My friends at work and home love scratch tickets,” said the Hagerstown resident. “Just last week, a buddy of mine won $500. I was determined to beat him.”
He bought the $5 instant ticket at C&R Liquors in Hagerstown. The new game, which launched April 27, still had all of its $50,000 top prizes available and 11 of the one dozen $5,000 prizes. In fact, when he first scratched his big winning ticket, he thought he’d won just $5,000.
“I saw the $5,000 and was ecstatic – for the money, of course, but also because I’d bested my friend.” Just as he got ready to pick up the phone to let that friend know of his luck and rub it in, the scratch fan glanced once more at his lucky instant ticket.
“I saw that I hadn’t scratched the whole thing off, there was one more zero hiding under there,” he said. “When I saw that it was $50,000, I stopped breathing. I was blown away.”
When he shared the news with his mother, her response also shocked him. “My mom told me that she’d just had a dream that I was going to win the Lottery and that I’d be calling her. Weird!”
While it’s a little out of his way, the lucky chef plans to return to C&R Liquors at 1304 Dual Highway in Hagerstown to see if his Lottery luck continues. “I’ll be getting a new car with my winnings,” he said. “Maybe you guys can get me a new house next time!”