Postal worker makes ‘unplanned’ stop for lottery tickets. Prize will help him retire

Retirement is now a possibility for a U.S. Postal Service worker after he made a last-minute stop for scratch-offs, Maryland officials said.

The worker who often crosses state lines from his home in Washington, D.C., to Maryland decided to stop at a Harwood store for a few scratch-offs, according to a Sept. 17 news release by the Maryland Lottery.

One of them was a $20 Millionaire’s Club ticket carrying the top $1 million prize, officials said.

The avid scratcher who likes to pick his games at random went home to check them, officials said.

After matching the winning number 54 on one of his instant tickets, all the man could say was “Thank you, Lord,” the release said.

After 30 years as a postal worker, retirement is “now more soundly in reach,” officials said.

For now, the lucky winner plans to pay bills with some of the money, lottery officials said.

This win means there are three $1 million top prizes left to be claimed in the game, the release said.

Harwood is about a 40-mile drive south of Baltimore.

This story was originally published September 17, 2024 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Postal worker makes ‘unplanned’ stop for lottery tickets. Prize will help him retire."