SILVER SPRING, MD — A routine stop at the local grocery store turned into a life-changing moment for one Montgomery County woman after she won half of a $1.8 million Maryland Lottery Multi-Match jackpot. The lucky ticket was purchased at the Giant Food store on Connecticut Avenue in Silver Spring, and after taxes, the winner walked away with a $490,000 cash prize.
A Quick Pick, A Big Win
The anonymous winner, a longtime fan of the Multi-Match game, claimed her prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters on July 16, just over two weeks after the June 30 drawing. Although she typically selects her own numbers when playing the lottery, on this occasion she opted for a quick-pick—a computer-generated random number selection.
That decision paid off in a big way.
The next morning, she checked her ticket and was stunned by what she saw.
“My heart was racing as I looked at my ticket and back at the screen to see my numbers matching,” she told Lottery officials. “I was going through the motions, laughing and crying.”
She had matched all six numbers needed to win the Multi-Match jackpot, making her one of two jackpot winners to split the $1.8 million prize. The Maryland Lottery offers a $980,000 cash option for jackpot winners, and she chose to take the lump sum payout. After taxes, her final prize totaled $490,000.
Plans for the Future
A retired employee from the retail and travel industries, the Silver Spring winner shared that her winnings will primarily go toward boosting her retirement savings. She also plans to enjoy some of her prize by taking a well-earned vacation in the near future.
The lucky Giant Food location at 13781 Connecticut Avenue also benefited from the winning ticket. As the retailer that sold the jackpot winner, the store received a $900 bonus from the Maryland Lottery.
A Statewide Favorite
The Multi-Match game is unique to Maryland and has a loyal following among residents who prefer supporting state-specific games rather than national jackpots. Unlike Powerball or Mega Millions, Multi-Match offers players better odds and keeps all proceeds within the state.
This winner said she enjoys Multi-Match for exactly that reason—because it stays local and doesn’t feed into nationwide prize pools.
Two Big Winners in One Drawing
While the Montgomery County woman claimed one half of the jackpot, the second winning ticket was sold in Ocean City, Maryland. That prize was claimed on July 7 by a group of four siblings, according to the Maryland Lottery. The siblings also chose the cash option and split the remaining $980,000 among themselves.
The odds of winning the Multi-Match jackpot are 1 in 2,032,151, making this drawing a particularly special one with two winning tickets.
About Multi-Match
Multi-Match is an in-state game where players pay $2 for three lines of six numbers. Prizes are awarded for matching anywhere from three to six numbers, and jackpots begin at $500,000, increasing with each drawing until someone wins. Drawings take place every Monday and Thursday, and the game is available at all Maryland Lottery retailers.
Feeling Lucky?
With recent winners and growing jackpots, Maryland Lottery officials encourage players to play responsibly and always sign the back of their tickets. While not every ticket will be a winner, as one Silver Spring retiree can now say firsthand—sometimes, one lucky decision is all it takes.
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