Nov. 12 (UPI) — A Maryland man found some loose cash in his back pocket and ended up using it to buy a lottery ticket worth more than $45,000.
The Prince George’s County resident told Maryland Lottery officials he was about to leave the Foods In convenience store in Waldorf when he realized there was some loose cash in his back pocket.
“I stuck my hand in my pocket and there was $4,” the player recalled. “I had already bought my tickets for the week, but because I was right there at the store, I figured I’d get a couple more.”
The man bought a pair of 7-11-21 Fast Play tickets for $2 each.
“The first ticket showed a jackpot of $45,166. The second ticket showed $1,500,” he recalled.
The reset jackpot gave the man a suspicion he soon confirmed — he had won the $45,166 prize.
“I told myself that the jackpots were different because my first ticket had won and the lower jackpot listed on the second ticket meant that it had dropped back down to its base amount. That had to be it,” he said.
The man scanned his ticket and then asked the store clerk to double-check it.
“When I saw the guy’s face light up, I knew it was real,” he said.
The winner said his prize money will go toward paying off debts and sharing with his family.