Baltimore great-grandfather wins twice on multidraw ticket
A Baltimore great-grandfather was already feeling as if he were on top of the world, thoroughly enjoying his retirement after 42 years in Baltimore’s oil industry. Then, in a moment, the loyal Maryland Lottery player discovered that life could get even better.
Joseph Lechert enjoyed a thrilling surprise as he routinely checked his Bonus Match 5 ticket to see if he hit any of the winning numbers during the week. The Lottery scanner displayed a strange message. Unsure what the message meant, Joseph asked a clerk to check his ticket. Guess what? The lucky man held the $50,000 winning ticket sold by Tobacco Barrel #305 in Dundalk for the Sunday, March 22 drawing!
The 68-year-old was stunned. “She asked me if I was okay and I just said ‘I think so,’ meanwhile, my head was just going ‘Bum-Bum-a-Wam-Ba,” Joseph said.
The seven-draw ticket he purchased on Saturday, March 21, matched all five numbers drawn Sunday to deliver the game’s top prize. In addition, the grandfather of seven and great-grandfather of two matched three numbers on another line of his ticket, bringing his tally to $50,015.
Uncertain if his hands were steady enough to drive, our excited winner asked his grandson to pick him up for the trip to Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
Before he retired six months ago, the lucky man worked as an oil gauger, measuring and moving the precious commodity daily for a local petroleum supplier. Now, in addition to enjoying his extended family, Joseph looks forward to his weekly Lottery games. He purchases a Bonus Match 5 ticket each week for seven draws. He plans to spend part of his prize on a trip to the West Coast to visit his daughter in Washington.
For selling the lucky ticket, Tobacco Barrel #305 at 1415-B Merritt Boulevard in Dundalk will receive a $500 bonus from the Lottery. This is the seventh Bonus Match 5 top-prize win of 2015. The Lottery is still looking for the winner of another $50,000 top-prize ticket sold by Loch Raven Liquors in Baltimore for the March 24 drawing.