Maryland man makes split second decision sitting in his car at a traffic light that ends up winning him $100,000
Published on Feb 16, 2026 at 12:40 PM (UTC+4)
by Callum Tokody
Last updated on Feb 16, 2026 at 12:40 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
When this Maryland man stopped at a traffic light outside a 7-Eleven, he ended up making a split-second decision that resulted in a $100,000 win.
The driver, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he bought the scratch-off ticket during his routine drive home from work.
He said the win wasn’t immediately obvious, and he almost wrote it off as a dud.
But it wasn’t long before a closer look revealed it to be a winner, and to his utter shock, the Maryland Lottery confirmed a $100,000 prize.
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Traffic light stop leads to $100,000 win
After his major win, the driver told officials he didn’t plan to stop in at the 7-Eleven, and the scratch-off purchase was a totally last-minute decision.
The winning ticket in question? A $10 scratch-off ticket from the 50X the Cash game.
After leaving the 7-Eleven, the man scratched the ticket while sitting in his car.
He told the Maryland Lottery that he first believed the prize amount was a lot lower.
But when he took a closer look, he realized it had one little symbol that changed everything.
The ticket included a multiplier symbol.
A 10X multiplier applied to a $10,000 prize produced the $100,000 total.
The winner said that only his wife knew about his traffic light win, and he wanted to keep it that way.
He said the money will be used for household expenses and a vacation for his family.
What a split-second decision that turned out to be.
But that pales in comparison to what Michael Weirsky won
Luck has shifted suddenly for others as well.
In New Jersey, Michael Weirsky went from relative obscurity to a news headline after claiming a $273 million lottery jackpot.
At the time, Weirsky had just finalised a divorce and had been unemployed for several months.
He bought a Mega Millions ticket at a local gas station, not expecting much to come from it.
What nearly ended the story was a simple mistake, as he accidentally left the ticket behind before a stranger returned it to him.
That moment changed everything.
Weirsky went on to claim one of the largest lottery prizes in the state’s history, choosing a lump-sum payout worth roughly $162.5 million after taxes.
The win followed months of uncertainty and marked a sharp turn in his circumstances.
Taken together, stories like Weirsky’s and the traffic light scratch-off win show how quickly fortunes can change.
It might not make sitting at a red light any more enjoyable, but it does suggest that stopping for a moment is not always as unlucky as it feels.
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Callum has vast and varied experience, presenting a radio show and founding his own magazine to name just a couple of his accolades. In addition to his role as PR & Partnerships Coordinator, liaising with the most prestigious car brands in the world, Callum also heads up the website’s daily news. When he's not at his desk he can be found testing out the ASMR and driving UX of the latest supercar and EV launches.
