How One Chevy Chase Family Will Spend A $50,000 Win

CHEVY CHASE, MD — A $15 purchase turned into a huge victory for a 57-year-old grandmother from Chevy Chase when she realized in July that her "$50,000 Bonus Cash" scratch-off had won for her the full jackpot.

The grandmother lives with her daughter and granddaughter, a lizard, a guinea pig and three black cats, but that won't hold her back from making the most of her win. According to the Maryland Lottery, she plans to use the money to bring home a dog to add to the menagerie.

“She got so excited, she just ran out of the store,” her daughter explained when a trio that included the lucky winner’s granddaughter traveled to Lottery headquarters in Baltimore to claim the winnings.

The family waited almost two months before claiming the prize to give themselves time to make a list of things to consider buying. They also wanted to await the return of the granddaughter, who spent the summer with family members in another state.

The daughter, who is working on her college degree, says the list is relatively short: a vacation for the three women, likely to Disney World; paying off bills; and, of course, a corgi.

Also lucky is Talbert’s Ice & Beverage Service at 5234 River Road in Bethesda, where the winning grandmother bought the top-prize ticket. The retailer earns a $500 bonus from the Lottery for selling a $50,000 top-prize winning scratch-off. The bonus is equal to 1 percent of the value of the winning ticket.

Image via Maryland Lottery