'Stunned' $100K MOCO Lottery Player Closer To House Purchase

SILVER SPRING, MD — A Montgomery County man’s dream of buying a house is a step closer to becoming reality after he won a $100,000 top prize on a 50X The Cash scratch-off.

“It was very surprising,” the winner told Maryland Lottery officials about discovering the amount of his prize. He has won amounts up to $500 previously playing lottery games, but nothing close to the $100,000 mark.

Two weeks previously, the Silver Spring resident was shopping at a nearby Safeway grocery when he bought the $10 instant ticket. He is an occasional player.

“When I go shopping, sometimes I buy a ticket,” he said on July 5 after claiming the top prize at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.

The family man typically scratches off instant tickets after he arrives home and unpacks the groceries. On this trip, however, he decided to scratch off the game while in his car in the grocery store parking lot.

“I was stunned,” he said.

The winner has been working toward buying a house and said the windfall will help him with his goal. He also plans to celebrate his big win with his family by having a nice dinner out.

The Safeway at 10101 New Hampshire Ave. in Silver Spring receives a bonus of $1,000, equal to 1% of the prize, for selling a $100,000 top-prize winning scratch-off.

There are still three unclaimed $100,000 top prizes on the 50X The Cash game.