$30K Lottery Winner Only One Number Away From $3M Prize

SILVER SPRING, MD — A Silver Spring resident and regular player since the Maryland Lottery’s inception, won a $30,000 Mega Millions prize.

The Montgomery County resident’s favorite games include scratch-offs, Keno, Racetrax, Mega Millions and Powerball. While each game brings its own thrill, the winner said he enjoys most the excitement he experiences when playing his favorite games.

“Playing the Lottery is a good form of entertainment when you get older. I play because it’s fun and, of course, I’d like to win,” the winner told Lottery officials. Every Sunday, he buys tickets in a variety of games to play throughout the week. He returns to a Lottery retailer on the following Sunday to scan his old tickets for a win and purchase new ones.

On the day he bought his lucky Mega Millions ticket, the winner stopped by one of his favorite Lottery retailers, Old World Favorites at 3854 International Drive in Silver Spring. He purchased an $18 ticket for the June 11 and June 14 drawings and added the Megaplier to both drawings.

He and his wife were speechless when they saw he won a $10,000 third-tier prize in the June 14 drawing and a 3X Megaplier tripled his windfall. The couple were also astounded to discover they missed winning a $3 million second-tier prize or the jackpot by only one number.

“We were fortunate enough to win anything, and I’m grateful for that,” he said.

He plans to spend his prize on bills and take a European cruise with his wife.