**IT’S A WINNER! Maryland Man Discovers $30,000 Lottery Prize After Scratching Itchy Hand**
Baltimore, MD – In a bizarre turn of events, a Maryland man struck it lucky after scratching an itchy spot on his hand, only to discover he had won a $30,000 lottery prize.
John Smith, 32, of Baltimore, was scratching his hand out of habit when he noticed a faint scratch on his ticket, which he had purchased on a whim at a local convenience store. Upon closer inspection, he was shocked to see that he had matched all the numbers on his ticket, securing a prize of $30,000.
“I was just scratching my hand, and my finger caught on something,” Smith said in an interview. “I looked down and saw that it was my lottery ticket. I couldn’t believe it! I had completely forgotten I even bought it.”
The winning ticket was for the Maryland Lottery’s “Cash4Life” game, which offers players a chance to win a top prize of $1,000 per day for life or a lump sum of $30,000.
Smith purchased the ticket on a Friday evening and didn’t check his numbers until the following Monday. He said he was just about to throw the ticket away when he decided to scratch off the validation code.
“I was like, ‘What’s the worst that could happen?’ And then I saw the numbers,” Smith exclaimed. “I started screaming and my family thought I was crazy!”
Smith plans to use the prize money to pay off some debts and take a well-deserved vacation with his family.
“I’m just grateful for the windfall,” Smith said. “It’s a life-changing amount of money, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”
The Maryland Lottery reported that the odds of winning a prize of $30,000 or more are about 1 in 30.6 million. Smith’s win is a reminder that sometimes, a little luck can go a long way.
**UPDATE:** The Maryland Lottery has confirmed that Smith’s win is one of the largest prizes awarded in the state’s lottery history. Congratulations to John Smith on his life-changing win!
