Philip Hueller, of Calvert County, plans on paying off his mortgage with the proceeds of a $50,000 win on the Maryland Lottery Bonus Match 5 game.
A Calvert County man is celebrating the long-imagined thrill of a Maryland Lottery win after claiming a Bonus Match 5 prize he scored back in September. Winner Philip Hueller visited Lottery headquarters on Nov. 17 to claim his $50,000 prize and share the story behind his memorable moment.
Philip, who has played Lottery games faithfully for more than 10 years, described himself as “a little ambitious, a little lucky, and very entertained” whenever he plays. “It’s so fun,” he said. “And it’s worth it when you win, no matter how much. It’s still winning when you have a little fun.”
Over the years, Philip has tried nearly every Lottery game, but Bonus Match 5 and number selection games like Pick 4 remain his favorites. He typically plays using numbers such as birthdays, personal favorites, and combinations of their sums. For much of this year, his chosen set has been 3, 6, 9, 18, and 27.
That dedication paid off when Philip scanned his ticket and saw he had hit big on the Sept. 9 drawing.
“I felt on top of the world,” he recalled. “It feels so good to hit.” He credits both his consistency and his personal “system,” which, as he put it, “doesn’t always work, but I win so it works for me.”
Philip’s first call after confirming the win was to his sister, someone he knew would be both supportive and excited for him. Although he acknowledged a boat is high on his personal wish list, his sister encouraged him to settle his finances first. Philip plans to use the prize to pay off his mortgage and hopes future wins will allow him to aid his family and others financially.
The 7-Eleven at 4199 Kenilworth Avenue in the Prince George’s County community of Bladensburg, where Philip regularly plays, will receive a $500 retailer bonus for selling the winning ticket.
