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Lottery rookie's birthday present turns out to be worth $30,000

By Ben Hooper
A Maryland man who has never bought a lottery ticket played his first scratch-off -- a birthday gift from his sister -- and won $30,000. Photo courtesy of the Maryland Lottery
A Maryland man who has never bought a lottery ticket played his first scratch-off -- a birthday gift from his sister -- and won $30,000. Photo courtesy of the Maryland Lottery

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Dec. 8 (UPI) -- A Maryland man who has never purchased a lottery ticket received a scratch-off as a birthday gift and won $30,000.

Walker Bazemore, 26, of Belcamp, told Maryland Lottery officials he asked his sister to pick up some sour cream on the way to his birthday party.

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"My sister had exactly $3 in change, so she bought me a $3 lottery ticket," Bazemore said. "I have never bought a lottery ticket in my life -- still haven't -- so it was a new experience when she gave it to me."

Bazemore's first lottery experience turned out to be a positive one when he scratched off the Polar Payout ticket and discovered he had won the $30,000 top prize.

The winner said he had to take the ticket to a nearby retailer to verify the win because he didn't completely trust that it was real.

"My sister is a prankster, we both are," Bazemore said. "We're always trying to get one another. I really thought it was a joke when I saw the $30,000, that it was a fake ticket."

He said finding out the ticket was legitimate was a welcome surprise.

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"It was sheer jubilation when the guy at the store ran it through the machine and told me it was a winner," he said. "This really is a life-changer for me."

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