A Maryland woman kept her composure in public when she found out she won over $950,000 from a progressive jackpot, according to the Maryland Lottery.
A Baltimore County resident who wanted to remain anonymous won a $953,280 progressive jackpot in the Fast Play Extreme Green game. She bought her winning ticket in October at Woodlawn Shell in Baltimore County, the lottery said last week. e Lottery.
The woman was at an auto shop waiting for her car to be fixed when she decided to check her Fast Play tickets, according to the lottery. One of them was the $20 Extreme Green game, which offers a progressive jackpot that starts at $250,000.
She knew she had won a large sum of money from the ticket when she had a "Winning Number" of 5 on the ticket and a 5 in the "Your Numbers" section, along with a progressive jackpot symbol. She told the lottery that she tried to remain calm, and the computer analyst discreetly took her winning ticket to check it with the others.
Even when she learned that she was practically a millionaire, she said she paid the bill at the front desk and left without showing any emotion, the lottery said.
"I remained calm the whole time," she said. "When I got alone in the car, I grabbed the steering wheel and let it out. I started to scream and thanked my mom in heaven."
She informed the lottery officials that she was already in the process of making financial plans for retirement and that the win would make that transition smoother.
"I am happy that it came to me at this time," she told the lottery. "I plan to spend this wisely, and I plan to enjoy it."
A progressive jackpot is a prize that grows with every slot game spin. It continues to increase until one fortunate player hits the jackpot.
A small percentage of each qualifying bet contributes to the jackpot in progressive slot games. Progressive jackpots can be won randomly or through special bonus games, often offering prizes rivaling state lotteries.
The Fast Play Extreme Green game was launched on Jan. 2, 2023. The anonymous woman became the second person to win a progressive jackpot.
The first winner, a man from Baltimore, won $713,088 in April, and there are still thirteen progressive jackpots available to be won, according to the lottery. Each progressive jackpot starts at $250,000 and increases with the sale of each ticket until a winning ticket is sold.
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
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