Free promotional ticket pays off for more than one player

By Kate Northrop

Two Massachusetts lottery players each won a $100,000 Mass Cash prize using a free ticket they received in a promotion.

In the span of a week, two lucky lottery players each won a $100,000 Mass Cash top prize from free tickets they received through a Massachusetts Lottery promotion.

On Oct. 3, the Massachusetts Lottery launched the "Rake in the Winnings" promotion, allowing players to receive a free $1 Quick Pick ticket for one of the Lottery's games when they make a purchase of $5 or more on any draw or monitor game on a single ticket.

One promotion recipient, Stephen Mayers of Roxbury, received his free ticket after making a purchase at Blue Hill Superette on Blue Hill Avenue in Roxbury. That ticket, which contained the numbers 1, 8, 28, 32, and 34, went on to win the $100,000 Mass Cash grand prize in the Monday, Oct. 14 drawing.

He claimed his prize the next day at Lottery headquarters in Dorchester.

Just one week later, another Massachusetts resident, Amro Elbehisy of Everett, won the same prize after receiving his own free ticket in the promotion.

Elbehisy's ticket, which he received after a purchase at The Corner Store on Bucknam Street in Everett, held the winning numbers 3, 5, 9, 17, and 19 for the Monday, Oct. 21 Mass Cash drawing, winning him the $100,000 grand prize.

Like Mayers, Elbehisy showed up the very next day to claim his prize. Both retailers that sold the winning tickets each received a $1,000 bonus from the Lottery.

The "Rake in the Winnings" promotion is currently live and ends Oct. 30 at 8:59 p.m. Eligible purchases include Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, The Numbers Game, Megabucks Doubler, Mass Cash, Keno, and All or Nothing. The free $1 Quick Pick ticket is issued for the next available drawing of The Numbers Game, Mass Cash, or Megabucks Doubler.

The odds of matching all five numbers in Mass Cash are 1 in 324,632. A full list of odds and corresponding prizes can be viewed on the Prizes and Odds page.

Mass Cash drawings take place every day at 9:00 p.m. EST, and results are available on the Massachusetts Lottery Results page. Each play costs $1.

(Click to display full-size in gallery)Amro Elbehisy of Everett won $100,000 after receiving a free ticket in a Massachusetts Lottery promotion.

(Click to display full-size in gallery)Stephen Mayers of Roxbury holds his ceremonial check after winning $100,000 with a free promotional lottery ticket from the Massachusetts Lottery.