A Middle River, Maryland man A Middle River, Maryland man turned $30 and a lunch break into a $50,000 windfall after purchasing a scratch-off ticket from a Wawa convenience store in Rosedale. after purchasing a scratch-off ticket from a Wawa convenience store in Rosedale. The winner, who dubbed himself the “Wawa Winner” when claiming his prize, bought the lucky 200X the Cash ticket from a lottery vending machine at the store located at 7501 Pulaski Highway — the same stop where he had just picked up a meatball sub.
According to the Maryland Lottery, the man had exactly $30 in cash remaining in his pocket after buying his lunch. The 200X the Cash scratch-off costs $30 to purchase, meaning he spent every last dollar he had on the ticket. It was a gamble that paid off handsomely — he scratched off the ticket before returning to work and discovered he had won $50,000.
The moment carried an emotional weight beyond the money. Before purchasing the ticket, the winner said he had been thinking of his late grandmother, who enjoyed playing scratch-offs. That sentimental impulse, combined with the exact amount of cash in his pocket, led to the split-second decision that changed his day — and his bank account.
The man is no stranger to the Rosedale Wawa. He is a regular at the location and plays scratch-offs there several times a week, as Nottingham MD reported. But this particular visit proved far more rewarding than any before it. He admitted he barely slept the night before going to claim his prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters, He admitted he barely slept the night before going to claim his prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters..
On February 25, 2026, the Wawa Winner arrived at the Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center in Baltimore to collect his winnings. He was accompanied by his grandfather for the occasion. Winners of prizes larger than $25,000 must redeem their tickets at the Baltimore headquarters, which operates by appointment only, according to the Maryland Lottery.
When asked about his plans for the money, the winner kept it simple. He said he intends to use his winnings to help his family. He also reportedly plans to switch from playing scratch-offs to draw games after this win, suggesting the $50,000 prize may have altered his lottery habits going forward.
The $50,000 prize sits at the second-tier level of the 200X the Cash game. At the time of the announcement, four second-tier prizes remained unclaimed, as Yahoo News Canada noted. The game itself launched in December 2025 with five $2 million top prizes, four of which also remained unclaimed as of the lottery’s announcement.
The 200X the Cash game is part of a broader X the Cash series offered by the Maryland Lottery, which spans six price points ranging from $1 to $30. The $30 ticket — the most expensive in the series — is worth 30 entries into the Maryland Lottery’s My Lottery Rewards second-chance program, according to the Maryland Lottery’s game page. That program gives players additional opportunities to win even on non-winning tickets.
Meanwhile, the Wawa Winner is not the only Marylander to strike it big on the 200X the Cash game. A Frederick, Maryland woman won the first $2 million top prize on the same scratch-off, while a Gaithersburg player won $50,000 on his very first attempt playing the game, according to the Maryland Lottery’s 200X the Cash page.
Stories like these tend to fuel the dreams of scratch-off players across the state. The combination of a routine lunch stop, a sentimental thought about a loved one, and the last few dollars in a pocket created a moment that the Wawa Winner is unlikely to forget. As UPI reported, the tale has captured attention as one of those small, serendipitous wins that remind players why they keep trying.
For now, the Wawa Winner heads home $50,000 richer, with plans to support his family and perhaps a new strategy for future lottery play. Four $2 million top prizes on the 200X the Cash game remain up for grabs — meaning the next big winner could be just one meatball sub away.
