A Maryland man had a lucky surprise while helping his mother clean their home. He discovered a winning $50,000 scratch-off ticket that had been forgotten since Christmas.
The man was moving furniture at his mother’s house in Nottingham, a suburb northeast of Baltimore, when he found five scratch-off tickets. His mother had bought them as stocking stuffers but never gave them out to her adult children.
He asked his mother if he could scratch the tickets. They agreed to share any winnings. Later, he took the tickets home and scratched them with his wife.
Four tickets won small amounts — $6 and $15 — but the fifth, a $5 Holiday Luck Doubler ticket, was a big winner. The couple was shocked to realize they had won the game’s $50,000 top prize.
The man even called his mother to check if the ticket was a prank. Lottery officials later confirmed the ticket was genuine when the family visited their headquarters.
The man plans to use his half of the prize to save for a home and pay off debts to his mother. His mother plans to share her portion with her other adult children.
The winning ticket was purchased at Walther Liquors in Nottingham. The store will receive a $500 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Winners of the Holiday Luck Doubler game have until November 3 to claim their prizes.
