Retiree wins $2 million lottery prize in Maryland — and it’s not his first time

A retiree is $2 million richer after winning a scratch-off lottery prize in Maryland and it’s his second time doing so.

In a double dose of luck, the 65-year-old retired utility worker, who has not been publicly named, won the top prize in the state’s “$2,000,000 Richer” game after buying two scratch-off tickets from an Exxon gas station, according to the Maryland Lottery.

This marked the second time he hit a $2 million lottery jackpot, the lottery said in a news release.

This time around, the man bought two tickets and went back to his vehicle to scratch them off, discovering a $100 prize with the first ticket. When he scratched off the second ticket, it revealed a gold bar symbol, showing he hit the $2 million prize again.

The man who lives in Salisbury discovered his big win during the COVID-19 pandemic and stored his ticket in a home safe, patiently waiting ahead of the game’s final day on Nov. 1 to claim his millions, Maryland Lottery said in the release.

“I was just a bit nervous,” the retiree said in a statement. “I worried that I could have a fire (at home) that would burn it up, that the ticket’s expiration date might come up and even had just a bit of doubt that it was really real.”

After his first $2 million win, he went on a family vacation and secured his finances for retirement, he told lottery officials.

With his latest jackpot earnings, the retiree plans to go on another family vacation and make home improvements.

To other hopeful lottery players, the man said: “be realistic and make sure that when you play that you aren’t just playing for the big jackpot.”

“Play for enjoyment and as long as you enjoy what you are doing, win or lose, you’ve already won,” he added.

The “2,000,000 Richer” game began in 2019 with six top prizes of $2 million. Other prizes included $30 up to $50,000.

This story was originally published November 1, 2021 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Retiree wins $2 million lottery prize in Maryland — and it’s not his first time."

Julia Marnin

McClatchy DC

Julia Marnin covers courts for McClatchy News, writing about criminal and civil affairs, including cases involving policing, corrections, civil liberties, fraud, and abuses of power. As a reporter on McClatchy’s National Real-Time Team, she’s also covered the COVID-19 pandemic and a variety of other topics since joining in 2021, following a fellowship with Newsweek. Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, she was raised in South Jersey and is now based in New York State.