Store Clerk's Mistake In Lotto Ticket Purchase Nets $580K For Prince George's Customer

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — A Maryland man given the wrong lottery ticket by a store clerk ended up winning $580,000.

The Maryland Lottery said the Prince George's County resident stopped at a gas station in Upper Marlboro to buy Cash4Life tickets for the Sept. 11 drawing.

"I gave him the money and said, "I want to buy five Cash4Life tickets,'" the winner told Lottery officials. "The attendant made a mistake and gave me a multi-match ticket instead. I was like, "Oh, a new guy.' He was so apologetic."

The clerk tried but wasn't able to void the ticket. Instead of arguing, the winner accepted the clerk's apology – and the $10 multi-match ticket. That kind gesture would pay off big time, reports FOXDC5.

A few days later he learned that the clerk's mistake was a win for him.

"On the way home from work that night, I stopped by the retailer and scanned it. I took a picture of the message to prove it was true," he said.

He and his wife plan to pay off a college loan for one of their children, pay bills and start a new family-run healthcare business that helps geriatric patients.