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Lottery player’s screams scared family, but ‘fear quickly turned to shock’ in MD

The lottery player was initially puzzled by the big win, officials said.
The lottery player was initially puzzled by the big win, officials said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

When a Maryland woman screamed at the top of her lungs to get her husband and daughter’s attention, they feared the worst.

They then rushed to her side, Maryland Lottery officials said in a June 5 news release.

Their “fear quickly turned to shock,” lottery officials said.

The Calvert County woman told her family her screams were not of pain but excitement over a big lottery win, officials said.

“I’m surprised they could understand me,” she said. “I was pretty hysterical. Just kept bouncing around the room.”

The player won big on a $10 Lucky 7s Multiplier scratch-off ticket she bought at a St. Leonard store while running errands, lottery officials said.

“I picked this one because seven has always been my favorite number,” she told lottery officials.

She scratched it later in the day and was baffled.

“I was sure something was wrong with the ticket when I saw the $77,777,” she said. “It had to be a misprint.”

But sure enough, after confirming her win by scanning her ticket using the lottery app on her phone, she realized “her ticket was the real deal,” lottery officials said.

The restaurant worker told lottery officials she and her husband now plan to treat extended family to a vacation.

“Having all of us together has always been our dream,” she said.

Past attempts failed, as the financing was never there, the winner told lottery officials.

“With this, we can,” she said.

St. Leonard is about a 70-mile drive south from Baltimore.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Lottery player’s screams scared family, but ‘fear quickly turned to shock’ in MD."

Daniella Segura
McClatchy DC
Daniella Segura is a national real-time reporter with McClatchy. Previously, she’s worked as a multimedia journalist for weekly and daily newspapers in the Los Angeles area. Her work has been recognized by the California News Publishers Association. She is also an alumnus of the University of Southern California and UC Berkeley.
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