NORTH EAST, MARYLAND — A Southern California truck driver stopped for a rest break at a Pilot Travel Center in Cecil County and walked away $100,000 richer after buying his very first lottery ticket on a whim — crediting the win entirely to beginner’s luck.
The driver was taking a break at the Pilot Travel Center at 1 Center Drive in North East before heading back across the country when he spotted a Maryland Lottery vending machine. Having never played the lottery before, he decided to give it a try. “Why not? I have time to kill,” he recalled thinking. He selected the $1,000,000 Crossword scratch-off, a $25 game, drawn to it because he had enjoyed crossword puzzles growing up.
As he scratched the ticket, he described feeling overwhelmed with nervousness. After playing the entire card, he scanned it to confirm what he suspected — he had won $100,000, the game’s second-tier prize. Overcome with excitement, he gathered his belongings and rushed home to share the news with his partner. His nervousness, he said, was not about the win itself but about keeping the ticket safe until he could claim the prize.
The driver claimed his winnings on May 4 at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. He characterized the win as beginner’s luck and said he does not plan to make lottery games a regular habit, though he may occasionally try his luck again while on the road.
He already has plans for the money — at least part of it will go toward a down payment on a new home.
The $1,000,000 Crossword scratch-off launched in February as the Maryland Lottery’s first $25 scratch-off game. The game launched with four $1 million top prizes, three of which remain unclaimed. Eight $100,000 second-tier prizes also remain in circulation.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
