Lottery Winners: Recent Stories of Big Wins and Their Impact

Lottery winners often capture the public’s imagination, showing that life-changing luck can strike at any moment. In recent months, several people across the United States have experienced this rare fortune, winning prizes that range from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. These stories not only highlight the excitement of winning but also reveal what happens after the prize is claimed, including taxes, privacy choices, and the impact on local communities. This article summarizes some of the most notable recent lottery wins, focusing on Texas, Maryland, and Minnesota.

Texas Lottery Winner Claims $3 Million Scratch-Off Prize

A resident of Wylie, a city in North Texas, recently won a $3 million prize from a Texas Lottery scratch-off game. The winning ticket, called “$3 Million Ca$h,” was purchased at AJ’s Quick Trip on Ballard Avenue in Wylie. The winner, who has chosen to remain anonymous, claimed the prize on May 28. This is the first of four top prizes to be claimed in this particular scratch-off game, meaning three more top prizes are still available.

The $30 scratch-off ticket offers a range of other prizes, including $10,000, $1,000, $500, $300, $200, $150, $100, $50, and break-even $30 prizes. The overall odds of winning any prize in this game are 1 in 3.72, which includes the break-even prizes. After federal taxes, which are taken at the highest bracket of 37%, the winner will pay about $1.11 million in federal taxes and take home roughly $1.89 million. Texas does not have a state tax on lottery winnings, so the winner keeps more of the prize compared to winners in other states.

In the previous month, two other North Texans won and claimed separate $1 million scratch-off prizes with tickets bought in Arlington and Mansfield. The largest scratch-off game offered by the Texas Lottery is “20 Million Supreme,” which features four grand prizes of $20 million each. Three of these grand prizes have already been claimed in Fort Worth, Boerne, and La Feria, leaving one unclaimed ticket.

For those who may struggle with gambling, resources are available. The National Council on Problem Gambling offers a helpline at 1-800-522-4700, online peer support at www.gamtalk.org, and more information on their website.

Maryland’s Trio of Million-Dollar Lottery Winners

In Maryland, a rare streak of luck saw three individuals each win $1 million within a single week. This run of good fortune challenges the old saying that “bad things come in threes,” showing that sometimes, good luck can arrive in groups.

The first winner, a truck driver from Columbia, experienced car trouble when his windshield wiper blades broke. He stopped at the Travel Centers of America rest stop in Elkton for coffee and decided to buy a $20 Monopoly X100 lottery ticket. At first, he thought the ticket was a loser and threw it away, but later retrieved and scanned it, discovering it was actually worth $1 million.

The next day, another man in Silver Spring bought a $20 Gold Rush 777 instant ticket during his lunch break at Hillandale Beer & Wine on New Hampshire Avenue. To his surprise, this ticket also turned out to be a $1 million winner. The timing was perfect, as he and his wife had just purchased a new home, and he plans to use some of the winnings for home upgrades.

A few days later, a woman from Randallstown stopped at an Exxon station on West Street in Annapolis before a meeting because she arrived early. She first bought several cheaper tickets without success, then tried a $20 MONOPOLY ticket and won her money back. Thinking her luck was running out but deciding to try once more, she purchased a Lucky 777 ticket—which won her $1 million. She intends to use the prize money for retirement planning and to spoil her dogs, whom she considers her children.

Big Wins in Minnesota: Hundreds of Thousands in Prizes

Minnesota has also seen a wave of lottery luck, with nearly $400,000 in prizes won by players over a single weekend in early June 2025. The Corner Store in Inver Grove Heights sold a North 5 ticket worth $276,186. Two $50,000 Powerball tickets were sold at Winners Corner in Newport and Shooters Billiard Club & Cafe in Burnsville.

Winners in Minnesota have one year to claim their prizes. Thanks to a state law signed in 2021, winners of more than $10,000 can choose to remain anonymous, protecting their privacy. Earlier in the year, Minnesota saw other notable wins, including two Millionaire Raffle tickets sold in Tracy and Nowthen, a Progressive Print-N-Play ticket worth $436,015 in North St. Paul, and a $94,949 Powerball ticket in Lake City. Another customer won a $50,000 Powerball jackpot in Hastings during the same weekend, and a North 5 ticket worth $137,742 was sold in Maple Grove in March.

Lottery proceeds in Minnesota support important causes. In the last general election, voters chose to continue allocating 40% of all state lottery proceeds to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. In January 2025, it was announced that $1.2 million from these funds would go to the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine for avian influenza research.

For those who need help with gambling, the Minnesota Department of Human Services offers free and confidential support at 800-333-HOPE or online at getgamblinghelp.com.

Conclusion: The Impact and Reality of Lottery Wins

These recent stories of lottery winners in Texas, Maryland, and Minnesota show that luck can strike anyone, anywhere. From a $3 million scratch-off in Texas to a trio of $1 million winners in Maryland and hundreds of thousands in Minnesota, these wins change lives in an instant. Winners face important decisions about taxes, privacy, and how to use their new wealth. At the same time, lottery proceeds often support community projects and research, spreading the benefits beyond the winners themselves. While the odds of winning are long, these stories remind us that sometimes, good fortune really does come in threes—or more.