National

Lottery ticket catches rideshare driver’s eye on trip — then win has him in disbelief

A lottery player from South Carolina scored a big prize during a visit in Maryland.
A lottery player from South Carolina scored a big prize during a visit in Maryland. Photo from Giorgio Trovato, UnSplash

A rideshare driver was visiting Maryland from South Carolina when a lottery game caught his eye.

Then the $50,000 win left Samir Khalaf stunned.

Khalaf, 37, stopped at a convenience store in Gaithersburg and bought a $5 lottery game from the vending machine, the Maryland Lottery said in a news release.

“I like how this ticket looked,” Khalaf told lottery officials. “They don’t have this ticket in South Carolina.”

He scratched the Corvette Cash ticket before leaving the store and saw his big win, leaving him in disbelief, he told lottery officials.

Khalaf told his friends and family about his prize. Now he has plans to put the money into savings.

He said he’s also moving to Maryland soon.

Gaithersburg is about 40 miles southwest of Baltimore.

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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This story was originally published December 14, 2023 at 1:59 PM with the headline "Lottery ticket catches rideshare driver’s eye on trip — then win has him in disbelief."

Helena Wegner
McClatchy DC
Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.
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