Grandfather takes new name — ‘Winning Papa’ — after scoring top Maryland lottery prize
An excited grandfather took on a new name after a big scratch-off win in Maryland, lottery officials said.
The grandfather chose to be called “Winning Papa” to maintain anonymity after winning a $100,000 top prize in the Money Rush game, the Maryland Lottery said in an Oct. 22 news release.
Officials said the winning ticket was sold at a liquor store in Lanham, about a 15-mile drive northeast of Washington, D.C. The retailer will receive a $1,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
The man was with his daughter when he decided to purchase a handful of scratch-off tickets, according to the release. He said he preferred higher-priced games because he can make more money.
After scanning the $10 Money Rush game’s barcode, Winning Papa said he had a good feeling.
“It said to see the retailer, so I knew it was big,” he told lottery officials.
A loyal scratch-off player himself, Winning Papa said he knew what was coming after the cashier confirmed the prize.
“She’s going to say, ‘How much do I get,’” he said about his daughter.
Winning Papa told lottery officials he plans to use his winnings to pay off some bills and save the rest — or possibly book a vacation.
Money Rush came out in July with nine $100,000 top prizes, the release said. Five top prizes remain unclaimed. The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.5, according to the Maryland Lottery.
This story was originally published October 22, 2024 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Grandfather takes new name — ‘Winning Papa’ — after scoring top Maryland lottery prize."
