Overstuffed wallet produces months-old $1.2 million lottery ticket

March 25 (UPI) -- A Maryland man cleaning out his overstuffed wallet made a valuable discovery: a winning lottery ticket worth $1.2 million.

The 50-year-old Randallstown man said he frequently plays the Multi-Match game, but he only checks his tickets every month or two when his wallet becomes overfilled with the slips.

The man told Maryland Lottery officials he had heard someone won a major Multi-Match jackpot in his area, but he didn't want to jinx it by checking his ticket too soon.

The player said he finally decided to check his tickets when two months passed without anyone claiming the jackpot. His wallet contained several winning tickets, including the $1.2 million jackpot.

"My heart was beating real fast," the man said.

He said he was in disbelief about the win until he saw his name on the giant check at Maryland Lottery headquarters.

"I see my name right there. It's real," he said. "Not a bad investment from an $8 ticket."

The man said he plans to use his winnings to pay off his debts, take a vacation and buy a home in the country.