Lottery player pauses movie to check forgotten ticket – then keeps his big win secret

When one Maryland man started playing the Multi-Match lottery game earlier this year, he had no idea the choice would pay off – big time.

The man, from the Eastern Shore, stopped at a store in October and bought a $10 ticket using a mix of personal and quick-pick numbers, lottery officials said in a Dec. 5 news release.

He put the ticket in his vehicle, then forgot about it, officials said.

Days later, he remembered the ticket as he sat next to his wife in their living room watching a movie, according to the release.

He went out to his vehicle and grabbed the ticket, checking his numbers on his phone, officials said.

All six numbers matched. The man won $630,000.

“He just said, ‘We won,’’ his wife told lottery officials. “I said, ‘I don’t believe it.’”

Then she saw the ticket for herself, they said, and the couple put the winning ticket in a safe while they finished the movie.

For now, they put the winnings in the bank for safekeeping, and the couple is keeping the win a secret, even from family and friends.

“I’ve always said, ‘Wait until the money’s in your hand,’” the man told officials.

The Eastern Shore includes the coast of Chesapeake Bay.

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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