Hoping To Lose, Takoma Park Man Wins $50K From Maryland Lottery

SILVER SPRING, MD — A Takoma Park man recently drove off with the top prize of $50,000 in the Maryland Lottery's $5 Corvette Cash scratch-off game, which includes a second-chance promotion with prizes up to $150,000.

Recently, the 75-year-old winner stopped to buy beer at the Hillandale Beer & Wine in Silver Spring, when he noticed the Corvette Cash scratch-off. Over the years, he's been lucky and won multiple second-chance prizes. He purchased a ticket, hoping to lose and then cash in on the $150,000 promotion, which would give him enough to buy a Corvette Z06.

When the Takoma Park resident got home and checked his ticket, he discovered he wouldn't be able to pursue the second-chance promotion as he'd hoped. Instead, he'd won the game's top prize of $50,000.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” the Takoma Park man told Lottery officials. “I was very surprised because I’ve never won that much money at once. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.”

Driving to a nearby story, he scanned the ticket twice, confirming that it was a winner.

The $50,000 winner doesn't have any formal plans for his windfall, although he will donate most of the money to charity.

“When I’m blessed, I bless others,” he said, adding that he also plans to invest in starting a small business.

For selling a $50,000 top-prize winning scratch-off, Hillandale Beer & Wine at 10117 New Hampshire Ave. in Silver Spring will receive a $500 bonus from the Maryland Lottery.