AVENUE, Md. — A St. Mary’s County woman claimed a $50,000 prize from a Maryland Lottery FAST PLAY Lucky Numbers ticket purchased November 14 at Murphy’s Town & Country, 21270 Oakley Road in Avenue, ending a self-imposed hiatus from playing and nearly discarding the winner due to a scanner message mix-up.
The financial analyst, who has worked in her field for 15 years and prefers to remain anonymous, stopped at the store to buy soda when she decided to try her luck again. She purchased several $10 Lucky Numbers FAST PLAY tickets from the kiosk, a departure from her usual counter purchases.
After scanning the tickets at the store’s terminal, the first showed “not a winner.” The second displayed “Take to Lottery,” which she initially misread as the same non-winning message. A second glance prevented her from throwing away the ticket. She scheduled an appointment and claimed the prize November 17 at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
She said she “freaked out” upon confirmation, noting her previous largest win was $200. She immediately called her parents to share the news.
The winner plans to pay down debts and take her two sons on a vacation to the Aulani Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii, a family-friendly destination on Oahu known for its Hawaiian cultural experiences, pools, and character meet-and-greets.
Murphy’s Town & Country earned a $500 retailer bonus from the Maryland Lottery for selling the $50,000-winning ticket, part of a standard incentive program that awards 1 percent of prizes up to $50,000 to encourage participation from the state’s more than 4,500 licensed retailers.
FAST PLAY games, introduced by the Maryland Lottery in 2021, generate tickets on demand like scratch-offs but feature progressive jackpots and fixed prizes without waiting for draws. Lucky Numbers, a $10 game, involves matching player numbers to winning numbers for prizes up to $50,000 or entry into progressive pools. Tickets print instantly at terminals or kiosks, and players can scan them immediately for results, with large wins prompting messages to visit a retailer or headquarters.
Prizes of $25,001 to $50,000 require claims at the Baltimore headquarters by appointment for verification, tax withholding, and payment. Maryland withholds 8.95 percent state tax and 24 percent federal tax on such winnings for residents, leaving the winner approximately $33,525 after deductions, though exact amounts vary by individual circumstances.
This win occurred the same day another St. Mary’s County player claimed nearly $460,000 on a FAST PLAY Fat Wallet progressive jackpot ticket sold in Great Mills, highlighting a strong week for local instant games as noted in Maryland Lottery reports.
Winners have 182 days from the sale date to claim FAST PLAY prizes, with unclaimed funds reverting to player benefits. The Lucky Numbers game continues with additional $50,000 prizes available statewide.
