Winning 7 brings instant luck to Maryland Lottery player

Seven is considered a lucky number in many myths and many modern cultures.

In some cultures, it is considered lucky because there are seven stars in the Big Dipper, which is a symbol of prosperity. In other cultures, the number is believed to bring good fortune because of its association with the seven wonders of the world. Whatever the reason, sevens were lucky for a lottery player from Silver, Maryland, recently when he won a $57,777 prize playing the Winning 7 scratch-off game.

In an interview with lottery officials, the player, who wished to remain anonymous, said he enjoys playing instant-win games because they provide a chance of winning some cash. He added:

I either win big, or I go home.

He certainly did win big when he bought the $5 scratch-off ticket from the 7-Eleven located at 8472 Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring. The player scratched the ticket while he was in the store. But it wasn't until he scanned the ticket with his Maryland Lottery mobile app that he realized just how much he had won.

As soon as he saw the prize amount, he said:

I went running to my car and called my mom.

He plans to put most of the money in his savings account but plans to buy a nice gift for his mom. He's also considering taking a trip to Atlantic City.

How to play Winning 7

Winning 7s is a $5 instant win game with a top prize of $57,777. Two top prizes remain. There are 17 chances to win. Winning 7 is currently ranked at number 17 on the Maryland Lottery's Top 40 Scratch-Off chart. To play, remove the four cash stack symbols to reveal the winning numbers. Then, remove the fifteen gold bar symbols to reveal your numbers. If any of your numbers match any of the winning numbers, you win the prize amount shown by that number. If you reveal a coin stack symbol, you automatically win the prize shown for that symbol. Reveal a 7 symbol, and you win 7X the prize amount shown. The price range for this game is $5, $10, $15, $25, $35, $50, $100, $500, $1,000, $7,000, and $57,777.

The Maryland Lottery's Top 5 instant-win games

If you like playing instant-win games but you're not sure which ones to play, the Maryland Lottery has developed a Top 40 chart of the most popular scratch-offs. Here are the top five.

• $5,000,000 CASH: This is a $50 instant-win game with a top prize of $5 million. There are 50 chances to win, and no prize is less than $100.
• Win $100, $200, or $500: This is a $20 game with 30 chances to win and a top prize of $500.
• 100X the Cash: This is a $20 scratch-off with 30 chances to win and a top prize of $1,000,000.
• $250,000 Cash Winfall: This is a $10 instant-win game with 25 chances to win and a top prize of $250,000.
• 200X the Cash: A $30 ticket with 40 chances to win and a top prize of $2,000,000.