LAUREL, MD—A Prince George’s County man is celebrating after ending up with a $1 million prize, thanks to a phone call and a $20 scratch-off ticket.

“I was in traffic heading for a work appointment when I remembered that there was a phone call I’d forgotten to make,” the sales account manager said as he visited Maryland Lottery headquarters on February 22.

With safety in mind, the Laurel resident pulled into the first parking lot he saw and made his call – but as he prepared to continue on his way, something caught his attention.

“I looked up and saw a Maryland Lottery sign right in front of me,” he said, adding that he was parked in front of a Lottery retailer. Since he was stopped and he enjoys Lottery games, he decided to pick up a few tickets before restarting his work day.

Inside 24/7 Convenience, located at 7707 Old Sandy Spring Road in Laurel, he picked out the scratch-off he wanted, buying three of the $20 100X The Cash tickets. While he said he’s had good luck with the game, that trend did not continue with his first two tickets. The last one, however, was a different story entirely.

“I sat there in the car shaking,” he recalled. “I really had to grip the steering wheel just to make my hands stop. It was crazy.”

He’d scratched just half the ticket when he uncovered the $1 million prize.

“I couldn’t believe it was real,” he said. “I actually wondered if I was dreaming. You know, like when you know you’re dreaming but you hope not to wake up quickly because it’s a happy one.”

The Prince George’s County man said he plans to use his big prize to pay bills and prepare for retirement.

“Then, when that important stuff is covered, I’ll take a vacation,” he added.

Photo via Pixabay