PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MD — Maryland’s newest millionaire happens to hail from Laurel and was compelled to purchase a ticket after realizing he forgot to make a phone call for work.

“I was in traffic heading for a work appointment when I remembered that there was a phone call I’d forgotten to make,” the sales account manager said as he visited Maryland Lottery headquarters Feb. 22.

With safety in mind, the Laurel resident pulled into the first parking lot he saw and made his call.

“I looked up and saw a Maryland Lottery sign right in front of me,” he said, adding that he was parked in front of a lottery retailer.

So the Laurel man popped inside the 24/7 Convenience store and bought three of the $20 scratch-off tickets he wanted. He’d scratched just half the ticket when he uncovered the $1 million prize.

“I sat there in the car shaking,” he recalled. “I really had to grip the steering wheel just to make my hands stop. It was crazy. I couldn’t believe it was real. I actually wondered if I was dreaming. You know, like when you know you’re dreaming but you hope not to wake up quickly because it’s a happy one.”

The Prince George’s County man said he plans to use his big prize to pay bills and prepare for retirement.

“Then, when that important stuff is covered, I’ll take a vacation,” he added.

24/7 Convenience in Laurel will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Maryland Lottery for selling the winning ticket. The Prince George’s County business is located at 7707 Old Sandy Spring Road.