Maryland Lottery sees "Mrs. Millionaire" claim a prize just two weeks apart

By Kate Northrop

OXON HILL, Md. — A Maryland woman won $1 million just two weeks after winning $50,000 in the lottery.

An anonymous Oxon Hill resident, dubbed "Mrs. Millionaire" to keep her identity private, made a swift return to Maryland Lottery headquarters to claim an even bigger prize since her first $50,000 win.

On July 25, the 67-year-old claimed a $50,000 Pick 5 prize she won in the July 23 midday drawing. During that visit, she had gone by a different name, "Sandy Cakes," to tell her lucky story.

The lifetime lottery player usually selects significant dates, such as birthdays, and license plate numbers when entering draw games. The date of her wedding anniversary was the one to pull through for her, inspiring her to pick the winning numbers 7-1-9-2-1.

"I was so excited when I realized I won!" she had told the Lottery when claiming her first win. "I thought I won $5,000, but when I showed my husband, he scanned [the ticket] on the Lottery app and told me it was $50,000. I was in shock."

She admitted she "almost had a nervous breakdown" because she's never won such a large prize before. Imagine her reaction when she won $1 million from a scratch-off two weeks later.

Last Friday, "Mrs. Millionaire" was out when she decided to stop by Al's Beer & Wine on Oxon Hill Road in Oxon Hill to play her usual numbers. The retired federal government employee picked out five of the $20 "$1 Million Royale" scratch-off tickets as well, since she likes to play newer games. The game made its debut on July 17.

She took the tickets home, where she and her husband, a retired Vietnam veteran, scratched them off together. She took two, and he took three, and it was her husband who revealed the $1 million prize on the final ticket.

"He was pointing at the ticket and said, 'I think we won this much'," the grandmother of six recalled. "We just couldn't believe it because we just won $50,000 in July."

The twice-lucky winner called one of her sons to take her to a nearby retailer right away to confirm the win.

"When it was confirmed, I took a picture and showed my husband," she added. "I said, 'Meet Mrs. Millionaire.'"

"Mrs. Millionaire" visited Lottery headquarters in Baltimore a second time in two weeks with her daughter-in-law to claim the $1 million prize, and she has big plans for the winnings. She'll use the prize to contribute to her grandson's college education, remodel her home, and help family members. Then, the rest will go into savings so she can enjoy it in retirement.

The retailer she bought the winning ticket from also won out, which will receive a $1,000 bonus for selling the top-prize winning ticket.

With the first $1 million top prize having been claimed, six more top prizes remain in the $20 "$1 Million Royale" instant game. There are also six out of seven second-tier prizes of $50,000 and 78 out of 84 third-tier prizes of $10,000 left to claim.