For one loyal Maryland Lottery player, checking his ticket during a peaceful walk in the park led to a moment of excitement when he discovered all five of his specially chosen numbers gave him a $50,000 prize on Pick 5 in the evening drawing on June 29.
The Aberdeen resident, who claimed his prize Aug. 4 at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore, is no stranger to Lottery games.
“I play it all, except Keno,” he said with a laugh.
From FAST PLAY and draw games to scratch-offs, the regular player enjoys playing whenever he visits his favorite retailer, the Royal Farms convenience store at 405 South Juniata Street in Havre de Grace. He purchased his winning Pick 5 ticket there the day before discovering his win. At the last minute he decided to choose different numbers from what he usually plays, going with five digits he sees every day and which he views as significant to his identity.
While out at a park near his home that he frequently visits, the player decided to check his ticket using the Maryland Lottery app.
“I was in shock at first,” he recalled. “I never dreamed that I would have a winning ticket.”
His previous biggest Lottery prize came a few months prior when won $200 on a Pick 5 ticket, making the $50,000 prize almost too good to believe.
The winner immediately called his best friend to share the news.
“Man, stop playing!” he recalled his friend’s response.
After checking the winning numbers online for himself his friend realized the news was true.
A writer who has penned books on personal finance, financial literacy and self-help, said the prize couldn’t have come at a better time.
Earlier this year, he made a resolution to save $100,000 and become debt-free by the end of the year. Following his own personal finance advice, he has been steadily chipping away at his debt and said the Lottery prize will give his financial goals a significant boost.
“This will help me get closer to becoming financially free,” he said.
Royal Farms receives a $500 bonus from the Maryland Lottery for selling the winning ticket.
