Columbia Grandma Wins $30K On Lottery Scratch-Off Ticket

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A Maryland Lottery enthusiast from Columbia picked up the first top-tier prize, $30,000, in the new $3 Boardgame Bonus scratch-off game.

“It’s the most I’ve ever won in my life,” said the player, who goes by the nickname “Lucky Grandma.” She’s a regular player who also participates in the lottery’s second-chance program, My Lottery Rewards, and picks up two- and three-digit wins often. Her previous top score was a $5,000 prize.

“I play for the excitement… and the wins, of course!” she said.

On her way to Lottery headquarters to claim her $30,000 scratch-off prize, “Lucky Grandma” played a round of Racetrax and won $72.

“I still got a little luck going on,” she observed.

Playing according to her usual routine, the 51-year-old professional caregiver purchased $60 in instant tickets out of the Lottery vending machine at Giant #300 in Columbia. The group included the big winner. She scratched all of the games off in the store and double-checked them using the prize-check scanner on the Lottery vending machine.

“Lucky Grandma” asked the clerk at Giant to verify her big win.

“She said, ‘Oh my God, you just won $30,000! I just put those tickets in two days ago’,” recounts “Lucky Grandma.”

With part of her winnings, she plans to help send her five grandchildren on a summer theme park adventure and will buy a new car. In addition, she is setting up a caregiver agency and the extra money will come in handy.