Bored 71-year-old waiting for prescription at Walmart buys lottery ticket. He won big

A man bought a lottery ticket to kill time while he waited for a Walmart pharmacy prescription — and it paid off.

The man, a 71-year-old retired government worker, said he was “waiting around for my wife’s medicine and I was tired of waiting,” he told the Maryland Lottery in a March 15 news release.

So the man, who said he frequently plays the lottery, decided to buy a scratch-off ticket to pass the time.

After purchasing a $5 Power Spot Multiplier instant ticket, he realized he’d won $50,000 and contained his excitement.

“I didn’t want to broadcast this news until I went home,” he told the Maryland Lottery, noting he’d never won anything more than several hundred dollars.

Once he’d made it home, he shared the thrilling news with his wife. Lottery officials didn’t say if he waited around for the medicine after winning.

He intends to use some of the prize money to finance home renovations.

The Walmart where he purchased the ticket, located in Salisbury, will earn a $500 bonus, according to the Maryland Lottery.

This story was originally published March 15, 2023 at 12:10 PM with the headline "Bored 71-year-old waiting for prescription at Walmart buys lottery ticket. He won big."