After 40 years of playing the Maryland Lottery, a Waldorf man landed his most memorable prize: $50,000 playing Pick 5.
The player claimed his winnings Oct. 7 at Lottery headquarters and shared his winning story. He had a message for fellow Lottery players who have spent years hoping for a big win: “Anyone who plays for this long should win big.”
Statistically speaking, that’s not accurate, but the more frequently you play, the more chances you have at winning.
Over the years, the winner has enjoyed smaller prizes and occasionally won back the money he spent on a ticket. But for him, playing the Lottery has always been about the possibility of winning. He said he plays for the joy of the experience, making his $50,000 prize all the more memorable.
The winning day began with a stop at the 7-Eleven at 9500 Ruby Lockhart Boulevard in Bowie. He purchased a Pick 5 ticket and picked up a few snacks before heading home.
While at the store after the drawing, he became distracted by conversations with other patrons and initially overlooked his good fortune. It wasn’t until he scanned his ticket a second time that he realized just how much he had won.
“Is that all?” was his first thought upon discovering the prize amount. Still, after four decades of playing, he was happy to finally win a substantial amount.
Since his win, the Waldorf resident has kept the news close to home, sharing it only with family and one co-worker who also enjoys playing the Lottery.
Now, the winner is looking forward to taking a vacation before putting most of his prize money toward investments. He hopes to make wise decisions with his windfall while enjoying a little of the reward along the way.
As for whether he plans to keep playing, he had no hesitation in answering. He intends to continue playing Pick 5 and enjoying the experience for as long as it lasts.
The 7-Eleven that sold the winning ticket will receive a $500 bonus.
