Dad brings Lottery luck to novice player

Thanks, Dad! A novice Maryland Lottery Keno player’s decision to play the game with her father at a Sharpsburg retailer turned the outing into a night to remember. The West Virginia resident headed home with a $15,006 winning ticket!

The recent West Virginia University graduate still lives in Morgantown, W.Va., because she found work at the university as an administrative assistant. She was home for a visit when the duo decided to cross the state line to Pete’s Restaurant and Bar in Sharpsburg. The favorite family hangout, also known locally as Pete’s Tavern, offers Maryland Lottery games and the two passed the time playing Keno and catching up on news.

“I played before but never won,” she said, so she followed her dad’s advice. The two played a dozen games and were watching the Keno screen when her very last two-draw ticket brought home the big money. They looked at each other and quietly left the retailer. “We didn’t want to make a big deal,” she said.

At home, they checked the ticket online at mdlottery.com and confirmed the win. Their lucky ticket was a seven spot with numbers picked by the terminal. She added the Super Bonus feature, which gives players the chance to multiply winnings up to 20 times and at least double any prize won.

The 23-year-old joyfully called her longtime boyfriend to share the good news and has since told her co-workers. She and her dad are splitting the prize. She intends to put her share into savings and toward her future wedding, while her dad’s plans, after sharing the money with her other siblings, are simple enough: “Spend it!”

For selling a winning Keno ticket with a prize value of more than $10,000, Pete’s Tavern at 144 W. Main Street in Sharpsburg will receive a $150 bonus from the Lottery.