Anne Arundel County tradesman hooks big win in Sept. 23 drawing
This is no fish story, folks, because he really did catch the big one! After nearly two decades of playing the Lottery’s Bonus Match 5 game, an Anne Arundel County man said his lucky numbers finally hooked the game’s elusive top prize. He matched all five numbers in the Sept. 23 drawing to win $50,000.
The tradesman, going by the nickname “Big Fish,” told Maryland Lottery officials of his epic struggle against the odds to bring a big win into his net. The 58-year-old often has a hammer or a fishing rod in his hand during his free time and has played Bonus Match 5 faithfully. “Big Fish” enjoyed a couple of nibbles or small wins over the years and even caught an $840 prize. He always plays the same three rows of lucky numbers on a ticket good for a week of drawings.
On Sept. 23, “Big Fish” played those same numbers again for one week. He saw a match the next morning when he checked the drawing results! At first glance, he didn’t see the $50,000 total. The longer he examined the results, however, the wider his eyes grew.
“I looked at it, saw a few matching numbers and figured I had won $15,” explained “Big Fish.” “When I saw the rest of the numbers, I knew it had happened.”
The lucky winner plans to use his prize to pursue his passions: fishing and keeping his wife happy. “We have always had this running joke. I play my Lottery games and my wife always says if I win I can pay off her car,” said “Big Fish.” In addition to paying down that auto loan, the avid angler said he might buy a better boat and a better truck to pull it when he heads out on the water in search of his next big fish.
The Churchton resident bought his winning ticket at Parks Drive-In Liquors located at 454 East Bay Front Road in Deale. For selling a top-prize winning Bonus Match 5 ticket, the Anne Arundel County store will earn a $500 bonus from the Lottery. The Lottery has sold 25 top-prize winning Bonus Match 5 tickets in 2020.