MD Residents Win Trip To 2028 Olympics

SILVER SPRING, MD — Esmerelda Encarnacion is one of three Maryland Lottery winners who snagged a free ride to the 2028 Games.

Encarnacion, of Silver Spring, secured her free trip after participating in the Keno Team USA second-chance promotion.

“It is a dream to be able to go to the summer games,” she said in a release issued by Maryland Lottery.

Encarnacion said she's taking her husband along on the trip, adding that they're hoping to watch the gymnastics competitions.

The two other winners were Jenifer Droneberger, from North Beach, and West River's Michael Mattera.

The trio will also be joined by earlier winners Jocelyn Johnson and Barbara Henderson. Johnson is from Fort Washington and Henderson from Silver Spring.

The winners were selected from a pool of players who bought and entered $1 worth of Keno tickets to the My Lottery Rewards program.

Those who submitted the tickets between Jan. 5 and Feb. 22 were automatically entered.

The win includes:

• Round-trip airfare
• Five nights of deluxe hotel accommodations
• Tickets to four Olympic events, meals, and ground transportation
• $1,000 spending money
• Team USA apparel