Scratch-Off Bought On Christmas Day Delivers $50,000 Prize To MoCo Mom

SILVER SPRING, MD — A Montgomery County mother won $50,000 on Christmas Day when she and her family drove to the grocery store for snacks.

“It was the best Christmas ever,” Lilian Hernandez of Silver Spring told Maryland Lottery officials. She claimed her prize Monday at Lottery headquarters accompanied by the aunt who suggested she try her luck with a $5 Deluxe Crossword 9th Edition scratch-off.

Members of her family had decided that day to drive to Safeway in Wheaton for snacks for the kids. “We thought it would be a fun thing to do,” she said.

Lilian’s aunt, Norma Hernandez, was along for the ride and is a loyal Lottery player who has won prizes of $25 to $50 numerous times. When the group arrived at the grocery, Lilian bought one of the crossword-themed games at Norma’s suggestion.

“I’ve never played before,” Lilian said in a Lottery news release. “We scanned it and I saw $50 and I said, ‘Oh, kids, you can get what you want.’”

Then, the Lottery novice and her aunt scanned the scratch-off a second time to verify the lucky win and realized the prize was actually $50,000.

“I was in disbelief,” she said. “It’s the biggest blessing we’ve had.”

A store clerk told Lilian to sign the back of the scratch-off, take it home, keep it safe and make an appointment to claim the prize as soon as possible. Once the family returned home, Lilian phoned family members in El Salvador to share her good news.

Lilian plans to pay bills with her winnings, pay down her home mortgage and help family members financially as needed, the Lottery said.

For its role in selling a $50,000 top-prize winning scratch-off, the Safeway at 11201 Georgia Avenue in Wheaton will receive a $500 Lottery bonus.