Immigrant wins big lottery prize using crossword puzzle scratch-off to learn English

Say what you will about lottery games being a waste of time, but an immigrant from Southeast Asia just won big money while using a crossword puzzle scratch-off to learn English.

The $10 ticket was in the $100,000 Crossword game and and she got the top prize, Maryland Lottery officials said in a March 21 news release.

Maryland Lottery officials noted the grocery store employee’s motive is among the more unusual reasons people have given for buying lottery tickets. Her identity was not released.

“The Beltsville player visited lottery headquarters in Baltimore this week to claim her prize and was accompanied by her son, who translated for her and shared her story,” lottery officials said.

“Originally from Cambodia, his mom started playing the Maryland Lottery’s $5 and $10 crossword-themed scratch-offs a couple of years ago. She thought it would be a good way to learn new English words, he said. If she ever won, she thought, that would just be a bonus.”

The woman has won smaller prizes in the past and had to be convinced of winning the top prize. Her daughter double-checked the ticket and told her it was legit, officials said.

“She plans to use the windfall to visit her home country and help family members as needed,” lottery officials said. “She also plans to continue practicing English by playing the crossword-themed scratch-offs.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Ollie’s Beer, Wine & Deli in Rockville, which is about a 15-mile drive northeast of Washington D.C.

This story was originally published March 22, 2024 at 11:01 AM.