BALTIMORE, MD—A Western Maryland woman credits her late father and a “penny from heaven” for her $2 million top-prize win on the Cash is King scratch-off.
The Hagerstown resident, who is using the nickname “Happy Dog Groomer” to tell the story of her Maryland Lottery luck, started on her journey to multimillionaire status with an unrelated scratch-off. She discovered she won $100 on the game when she got home. The Washington County woman was going to wait until the following week to cash in her prize, but noticed a penny on the front steps outside of her home.
“The penny was laying heads up. That means it is a lucky penny,” she explained.
That sight inspired “Happy Dog Groomer” to cash in her winning instant ticket and purchase a $30 Cash is King scratch-off at Hub City Liquor, located at at 1063 Maryland Avenue in Hagerstown. When she got home, the loyal player was ready to use a random quarter to scratch off the instant ticket but realized she needed to stop.
“I almost forgot to use my penny. I had to stop scratching with that quarter and grabbed my lucky penny.”
When the penny revealed a $2 million top-prize win, she immediately called her sister to tell her the news. The two women arrived, filled with excitement, at Lottery headquarters this week to claim the prize. They credit their late father for the win.
“We knew it was a penny from heaven,” said “Happy Dog Groomer.”
She explained that her father played Maryland Lottery games and always had the goal to win enough money to take care of his family. She wants to honor her father’s dream by sharing some of the prize with her sister and her family members. “Happy Dog Groomer” also plans to purchase a new house and a car for herself.
