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There have been some sleepless nights for Baltimore native Constance Benny, who still can’t believe her luck after cashing in on a $50,000 top prize on a “Big Money” scratch-off ticket.
The winning ticket was sold at Giant on York Road in Timonium, where the Lottery winner went to pick up dinner and cat food earlier this week.
After shopping, she said she had an extra $5 burning a whole in her pocket, and she instead turned that into $50,000.
Initially, she even forgot about the ticket until she got home and remembered to scratch it off, saw the prize, and confirmed the victory it on the Maryland Lottery app.
Since winning the five-figure prize, Benny said that sleep has eluded her as the windfall left her in a state of "disbelief and astonishment" that she only snapped out of when she came down to the Maryland Lottery Winner’s Circle to claim her cash.
“I didn’t believe it until I came down here,” she said on Thursday, May 4 in Baltimore when she came to collect her prize money. She also made note that the big win came on the eve of her birthday and at a time she’s eyeing retirement.
Lottery officials said that Benny locked all of her windows and doors, and couldn’t sleep after realizing she won $50,000.
In the morning, she even rethought her routine of feeding bread crumbs to neighborhood birds, according to Lottery officials. Ultimately, Constance did decide to feed them and then made an appointment to claim her prize at Lottery headquarters.
“I’ve won $500 before, but nothing like this,” the veteran Lottery player added, noting that she is usually a regular player of bigger jackpot games such as “Mega Millions” and “Powerball,” but maybe this windfall will change her tune about scratchers.
The happy winner plans to roll her windfall into her savings account.
“I’m looking to my retirement years,” she said, adding that “the extra money will make the transition easier.”
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