UPPER MARLBORO, Md. – A Prince George’s County resident standing in line for a sandwich began scratching off a $10 Rose Gold instant ticket to pass the time. When she noticed she won $100,000, the oldest of 11 children was surprised – but she made sure to show no excitement.
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh!’” she said, noting that she didn’t speak aloud. It was hard to refrain from a loud celebration, she said, but the winner known as “Oldest Sibling” kept silent long enough to pay for her sandwich and go back to her car. She then head home from an otherwise ordinary day of running errands.
“Oldest Sibling,” 63, had started her Lottery adventure grocery shopping at Food Lion #1414 at 9500 SE Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro near her home. After stocking up for the week, she stopped at the Maryland Lottery vending machine and picked out the Rose Gold instant ticket. She put it away and went a few doors down to the nearby sandwich shop.
The win wasn’t her first, but far and away it was her biggest prize. “Oldest Sibling” had picked up a few dollars here and there playing Lottery games, “but nothing like this!”
When she got home, the first thing “Oldest Sibling” did was tell her husband about the big top-prize win. He didn’t believe it, so she scanned the scratch-off with her smartphone using the Maryland Lottery app. He said he still didn’t believe it, but then realization of his wife’s good fortune began to sink in. Now he’s a believer!
“Oldest Sibling,” who claimed her prize Aug. 6 at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore, plans to use her winnings for a practical project: paying down the mortgage.
“It’s helping a lot with that,” she said. The winner also has a low-key family celebration in mind, maybe a backyard gathering with her 10 brothers and sisters.
For selling a top-prize winning scratch-off, the Food Lion receives a bonus of $1,000 from the Lottery. This is the store’s biggest prize-winning scratch-off sold to date.
As for the Rose Gold game, it has proven very popular since it went on sale on Feb. 24. “Oldest Sibling’s” $100,000 win was the eighth top prize claimed of nine in place when the game started. As of this week, Rose Gold was in the No. 9 spot on the Maryland Lottery Top 40 Chart, up two places from 11 the week before.
Lottery officials recommend winners sign the back of tickets and keep them in a safe place until claiming the prize. Winners typically get 182 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes. However, the Lottery has temporarily extended claiming deadlines due to Maryland’s COVID-19 state of emergency.
Winners can claim prizes by mail or big prizes in person by appointment at the Lottery Customer Resource Center. Get details on how to claim by mail here or schedule an appointment here.