DC School Bus Driver Wins $5 Million Maryland Lottery Scratch-Off Prize

Quick Facts

A Washington, D.C.-area school bus driver has claimed a $5,000,000 top prize from a Maryland Lottery scratch-off ticket, turning an everyday purchase into one of the largest instant-win payouts the state has recorded in recent memory.

For most school bus drivers, the daily route is a study in routine — the same stops, the same faces, the same roads. But one D.C.-area bus driver recently broke that routine in the most dramatic way possible, scratching their way to a $5 million Maryland Lottery prize that will almost certainly reshape the rest of their life. The story, first reported by FOX 5 DC, captures the kind of ordinary-person-extraordinary-moment narrative that makes scratch-off wins so compelling to follow — a working-class professional, responsible for the safety of children every single day, suddenly holding a multimillion-dollar ticket.

Details surrounding the win remain limited. The winner’s name, the specific purchase location, and the exact game title have not been publicly released by the Maryland Lottery. What is confirmed is the prize amount — $5,000,000 — and the winner’s occupation, which has already made this story resonate widely across the D.C. metro area. Whether the winner plans to continue driving that bus route is, for now, a detail left to the imagination.

The Win

According to FOX 5 DC, the winner is a school bus driver from the Washington, D.C. area who purchased a Maryland Lottery scratch-off ticket and revealed a $5,000,000 top prize. Beyond those core facts, the Maryland Lottery has not released additional specifics — including the winner’s name, the retailer where the ticket was purchased, or which specific scratch-off game produced the winning ticket. It is also not yet known whether the winner elected to take the prize as a lump sum or in annuity payments, a choice that significantly affects the total take-home amount.

What we do know is that prizes of this magnitude in Maryland are claimed at the Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center in Baltimore, by appointment only. For a prize over $25,000, winners cannot simply walk into a local lottery office — there’s a formal process, and the clock starts ticking the moment that ticket is scratched. In Maryland, winners have 182 days from the ticket’s printed end-of-game date to claim their prize, making timely action essential.

On the tax front, Maryland is notably one of the higher-tax states for lottery winners. The state levies an 8.75% state income tax on lottery prizes, on top of the federal withholding rate of 24%. On a $5,000,000 prize, that combined withholding alone could reduce the immediate payout to roughly $3,570,000 — though the winner’s final tax liability will depend on their total annual income, filing status, and any applicable deductions. Consulting a tax professional before claiming is strongly advised.

Current Game Status

Because the specific scratch-off game has not been identified in available reports, Scratchers Paradise is unable to pull live prize data for this particular ticket at this time. However, players interested in tracking remaining top prizes across all active Maryland games — including any game that may be linked to this win once more details emerge — can find real-time data at the Maryland Scratch-Off Rankings (Updated Daily).

What the Scratchers Paradise database does confirm about the broader Maryland scratch-off market right now:

• Maryland currently has 82 active scratch-off games
• Games with a positive return on investment (ROI): 0
• Average ROI across all Maryland games: -28.8%

That -28.8% average ROI is a number every Maryland player should internalize before purchasing a ticket. It means that for every dollar spent across the state’s scratch-off portfolio, players are getting back roughly 71 cents on average. This is not unusual for lottery games — the house edge is built into the structure — but it does underscore the importance of being selective about which games you play, and treating scratch-offs as entertainment rather than investment vehicles.

For a deeper breakdown of how expected value (EV), odds, and ROI are calculated for scratch-off games, see our Math of Scratchers: Odds, EV & ROI Explained guide.

What This Win Means for Players

Every time a top prize is claimed, the math changes — at least slightly. When a $5,000,000 prize is removed from the prize pool of an active game, the expected value of remaining tickets in that game decreases. If the game in question still has additional top prizes available, those remaining tickets become proportionally more valuable. If this was the only top prize, the game’s EV has just taken a significant hit, and players would be better served moving their dollars elsewhere.

This is exactly why tracking remaining prizes in real time matters. A scratch-off ticket that looks identical on the surface can have dramatically different underlying value depending on what prizes are still outstanding. Scratchers Paradise updates prize data daily to help players make more informed decisions.

Pro tip: Before buying any Maryland scratch-off, head to the Maryland Scratch-Off Rankings (Updated Daily) and sort games by ROI or remaining top prizes. Even in a market where no games currently show a positive ROI, there are always better and worse options — and knowing the difference can stretch your entertainment budget significantly further.

It’s also worth comparing Maryland’s scratch-off market against neighboring states. With an average ROI of -28.8% and zero positive-ROI games currently active, Maryland is not among the more player-favorable markets in the Mid-Atlantic region at this moment. Players near state lines may find better value by checking our rankings for Virginia, Pennsylvania, or Delaware before committing to a purchase.

Maryland Scratch-Off Market Snapshot

Maryland has long been one of the more active lottery markets on the East Coast, with a robust mix of ticket price points and prize tiers. Here’s what players should know about the current landscape:

• Total active scratch-off games: 82
• Games with positive ROI: 0
• Average ROI: -28.8%
• State income tax on lottery prizes: 8.75% — among the highest in the country
• Claim deadline: 182 days from the game’s end-of-game date (printed on ticket)
• Anonymity: Winners in Maryland can generally remain anonymous in most cases, which is a meaningful privacy protection not available in every state
• Large prize claims: Prizes over $25,000 must be claimed at the Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center in Baltimore, by appointment

Maryland’s 8.75% state tax rate is a critical planning factor for any winner. Combined with federal withholding, winners of large prizes should expect to receive significantly less than the headline number — and should engage both a tax advisor and a financial planner before making any major decisions post-claim.

How to Claim a Maryland Lottery Scratch-Off Prize

1. Sign the back of your ticket immediately. This is the single most important step. An unsigned winning ticket is essentially a bearer instrument — whoever holds it can claim it. Sign it in ink before doing anything else.
2. Determine your prize tier. Prizes up to $600 can be claimed at any Maryland Lottery retailer. Prizes between $601 and $25,000 can be claimed at a lottery district office. Prizes over $25,000 must be claimed at the Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center in Baltimore.
3. Make an appointment for large prizes. For prizes over $25,000, contact the Maryland Lottery to schedule an appointment at the Customer Resource Center. Walk-ins are not accepted for major prizes.
4. Gather required documentation. You will need a valid, government-issued photo ID and your Social Security number. Additional documentation may be required for large prizes.
5. Be aware of the deadline. Maryland winners have 182 days from the game’s printed end-of-game date — not the date of purchase — to claim their prize. Missing this window means forfeiting the prize entirely. For more on ticket expiration rules, see our guide: Do Scratch-Off Tickets Expire?
6. Consider your anonymity options. Maryland generally allows winners to remain anonymous. Discuss this with lottery officials at the time of your claim if privacy is a concern.
7. Consult professionals before claiming. For any prize in the six-figure range or above, speaking with a tax attorney or CPA before you claim can help you structure the receipt of funds in the most advantageous way possible.

Play Responsibly

Scratch-off tickets are a legal and entertaining form of gaming for millions of Americans — but they are games of chance, and the odds always favor the house. The story of this school bus driver is inspiring, but it represents an exceptional outcome, not a typical one. Set a budget before you play, stick to it, and never spend money you cannot afford to lose. If you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling, free and confidential help is available 24/7 by calling or texting 1-800-GAMBLER.

Sources

• FOX 5 DC — DC school bus driver wins $5 million Maryland Lottery scratch off prize — View Source
• Scratchers Paradise Maryland Game Database — Live prize and ROI data — scratchersparadise.com/maryland
• Maryland Lottery — Official claim procedures and prize information — mdlottery.com

Related

• Maryland Scratch-Off Games — Live Rankings
• The Math of Scratchers: Odds vs. EV vs. ROI Explained
• Do Scratch-Off Tickets Expire?
• June 2026 National Scratchers Report

Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information from official state lottery sources and news reports. ScratchersParadise is not affiliated with any state lottery commission. Lottery games are games of chance. Please play responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.