News writer
When playing the actual Battleship game, you are supposed to try and sink your opponent's battleships, not your own!
However, Bowie resident Jorge Baez Ventura almost sank his own battleship that happened to be loaded with $30,000! Thankfully, he caught himself before he did, and now the Prince George's County man is $30,000 richer.
Sinking his own battleship
Ventura, a retired contractor, had a winning Fast Play Battleship ticket from the Maryland Lottery in his possession for five days before he discovered that he won the $30,000 top prize. During those five days, Ventura said he nearly threw the ticket out!
He bought his $3 ticket at Hampton Mall Exxon, located at 8901 Central Avenue in Capitol Heights. For selling the top-prize winning Fast Play ticket, the lottery retailer will receive a $300 bonus.
Ventura bought $20 worth of scratch-offs that day and ended up winning $3. So, he decided to take that $3, which happened to be the last of the money he had allotted for Lottery play, and he bought himself a Fast Play Battleship ticket.
The first of 10 top prizes claimed
It wasn't until five days later that he discovered that he actually won $30,000 on the ticket. Ventura was the first of 10 top prizes in the game to be claimed, which went on sale in 2023.
After learning of his win, Jorge said he called his daughter to tell her how lucky and excited he was. He also happened to tell her how he almost threw away the prize-winning ticket!
After claiming his prize, Ventura told Lottery officials that he plans to use his winnings to take care of his family, which includes four children and his wife. He also wants to plan a visit to the Dominican Republic.
How to play Fast Play Battleship
If you aren't familiar with Fast Play games, they are like scratch-offs but without the scratching part! You can buy Fast Play games at any Maryland Lottery retailer, either from a store clerk or a Maryland Lottery Vending Machine. Currently, there are over 20 different Fast Play games available for Maryland Lottery players to choose from.
To see if you won, follow the rules on the ticket. Any winning Fast Play tickets must be claimed within 182 days of the ticket purchase date, which appears on the front of the ticket.
For the Fast Play Battleship game, it is like the actual Battleship game. Your ticket will have a Battleship grid, which will have ships located on that grid. Each letter/number pair in YOUR SHOTS matches a square in the Battleship grid.
If YOUR SHOTS happen to land on a ship in a grid square, then you score a hit. When YOUR SHOTS hit all the grid squares occupied by a ship, then you sink that ship! You win the prize shown for that ship in the Prize Legend. If you happen to sink all five ships on one ticket, as Ventura did, then you win the top prize of $30,000.
Enjoy playing the Maryland Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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