Prince George’s County man takes home $50,000 prize
A couple of weeks ago, an avid Maryland Lottery player was watching television and the same number appeared on the screen twice. Thinking that was peculiar, the Prince George’s County man played the number in the evening Pick 5 drawing the very next day and won $50,000!
“I was watching a movie and the number 2103 was shown as an address,” said the lucky player. “Then, the very next program showed that same number as an address.”
The 82-year-old knew he had to play that number. On Sept. 1, he played the number straight for $1 on the Pick 4 game and then thought he’d add a one to it, and play it for a $1 straight bet in Pick 5, too. The number missed in the midday Pick 4 drawing, but, to the player’s surprise, 21031 came out that evening in the Pick 5 drawing. He didn’t realize the win until that Saturday after leaving his sister’s house.
“I got a printout of the numbers at a Lottery retailer and I thought I was seeing things,” said the Hyattsville resident. “I had to take my glasses off and look again.”
The lucky player’s eyes were not deceiving him! He immediately called his sister to share the news.
“She teases me and tells me to put the money I play in the Lottery in a jar,” he said, laughing. “Had I done that, I wouldn’t have won.”
The father and grandfather decided to share the news other family members before signing his ticket and putting it away until he was ready to claim his prize. The loyal player did just that earlier this week and told Lottery officials that he plans to save his prize.
He bought his winning ticket at AJ Liquors located at 3801 Bladensburg Road in Brentwood. The Prince George’s County business will receive a $500 bonus from the Lottery for selling a winning Pick 5 ticket worth $50,000.
