A St. Mary’s County woman recently claimed a $50,000 top prize from the Maryland Lottery’s Gold Bar Bingo 5th Edition scratch-off game. The winner, a fan of bingo-themed scratch-offs, found herself in the Maryland Lottery spotlight after her routine evening pastime turned into an unforgettable victory.
The winning moment unfolded two weeks ago, following a casual stop in California, Maryland, where she purchased several $5 Gold Bar Bingo tickets. An enthusiast of the game’s extended play format, she explained to Lottery officials, “I like that I can take my time and play the game. And, it’s suspenseful.”
Once home, she prepared for her evening of relaxation. Settling into her pajamas in a quiet, comfortable spot, she began scratching off her tickets. “It has to be quiet, and I need to be comfortable,” she shared. As she moved through the cards, she unknowingly came close to discarding her ticket before noticing something on her sixth bingo card—a winning “X” in the play area. The lucky player described her shock upon realizing she had won $50,000.
To confirm her suspicions, she texted a photo of the scratch-off to her niece, who scanned it for verification. The result left no doubt: she had indeed secured the top prize. “I didn’t believe it,” she recalled during her visit to Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. “I’m sitting here, and I am still in disbelief.”
Accompanied by her supportive niece, she claimed her prize last week. “I’m so happy and excited for her,” her niece said, sharing in the moment.
The St. Mary’s County winner plans to use her winnings for a vacation and to make the upcoming holiday season particularly memorable.
The prize-winning ticket was sold at Wildewood Wine & Spirits on 23415 Three Notch Road in California, Maryland. For selling the top-prize ticket, Wildewood Wine & Spirits earned a $500 bonus from the Maryland Lottery.
The fifth edition of the Gold Bar Bingo scratch-off launched in July and still offers plenty of winning opportunities. Four of the $50,000 top prizes remain unclaimed, along with six $10,000 prizes and numerous others ranging from $5 to $5,000.
