"Rolling Thunder," a Baltimore County retiree, walked over to his wife to exchange a good luck kiss before taking his position at The Big Spin Wheel at Lottery Headquarters, where he was the happy winner of a five-figure prize.
According to Lottery officials, when the wheel came to a stop at the $90,000 mark, the room erupted into applause and the prize brought tears to the woman's eyes.
“I don’t believe this,” she said after her husband shook hands with Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director John Martin. “Every time I think about the amount I tear up.”
Her husband, a US Air Force Veteran who chose to remain anonymous under the moniker "Rolling Thunder," a military campaign during Vietnam, was more stoic.
"Rolling Thunder" says that "curiosity" about "The Big Spin" instant ticket is what led the happy couple pick up scratchers to enjoy while they drink their coffee.
He said that he recently purchased some tickets at the Kenwood Shell station in Rosedale, and while his wife picked up a $25 win, he scanned his ticket and was advised to claim a prize at Lottery Headquarters in Baltimore.
“He had to show it to me,” said the wife, describing their Lottery luck as a blessing to officials. “I can’t believe this.”
Sure enough, "Rolling Thunder" spun the big wheel after picking up one of the eight golden tickets.
“I had my eye on the $250,000,” he said. “To think there were eight tickets out there and we found one!” added his wife. “We are happy with any amount.”
The two said they plan to keep playing scratch-of tickets with an eye on one of the six remaining instant tickets that will lead them to spin the wheel one more time, though they mused that with the big win, they can pay off some bills and "live a little more comfortably."
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