BALTIMORE, MD—After years of playing Maryland Lottery scratch-offs, a Baltimore County resident kept seeing the big prizes others were winning and recently had one simple wish: “Let ME win some money!”

That wish has finally come true to the tune of $1 million.

Her lucky story begins at the Royal Farms located at 11510 Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills.

“I went to the store to pick up some things for the kids,” she said. The Reisterstown mother of three and grandmother of one also bought herself a $10 scratch-off, which she played in the store. That game was not a winner, but she decided to buy a $20 Million Dollar Mega Multiplier game. In minutes, her life changed.

“I noticed some numbers matched,” she said, and while the prize amounts were low, she said, “I still got excited.” Then, another customer showed her how the game’s multiplier column boosted those smaller prizes. When they realized the scratch-off carried a $1 million prize, they couldn’t contain their delight.

“She was hugging me so tight, I was just so excited,” the winner said, recalling that moment in the store. “I wanted to call my mom and thought I left the phone in the car but it was in my hand the whole time.”

She asked the store clerk to scan the scratch-off to confirm the win, got a printout stating the amount of the prize and followed the clerk’s direction to sign the back of the ticket. The happy winner then took the scratch-off home to show it to her mother.

“We just sat there and just looked around like we were crazy,” the winner said. “We were wondering what we were going to do with the money.”

By the time the winner and her mom visited the Maryland office to claim the prize, they had made their plans. They want to buy a home for the family to share, take a trip, and put the rest in the bank for future fun.

Photo via Pixabay