Claims top prize on Bonus Match 5 game during taxes-paid promotion
Being in the right place at the right time is the secret to many Lottery wins. Instead, just a few weeks ago, a Havre de Grace man owed his luck to a Lottery play slip being in the wrong place at the right time.
The Harford County man plays Lottery jackpot games regularly and was purchasing his weekly tickets at the Fairhill Liquors on Singerly Road in Elkton, when the store clerk inadvertently sent a discarded Bonus Match 5 play slip through the machine, producing a ticket for the April 24th drawing. Rather than refuse the ticket, he added the extra ticket to his purchase, which added $50,000 to his pocket.
Later that day, he checked his tickets quickly, scanning each one and tossing the non-winning tickets in the waste bin. He scanned his ‘bonus’ Bonus Match 5 ticket and made the familiar move towards the waste bin when he took a second glance at an odd message displayed on the ticket checker. The 44-year-old had the store clerk re-scan the ticket and it was confirmed that his ticket matched the draw results exactly, winning the game’s top prize of $50,000.
The lucky man played it cool post-win and called his wife as soon as he left the store. The win is a welcome windfall for the family. The lucky man and his wife have three children, with the eldest nearing graduation. “She wants to go into the medical field,” describing his daughter’s career plans. “I think I’m just going to put this away to save for education costs,” he said.
The win came at the perfect time — during the Lottery’s taxes-paid promotion. The estimated state and federal taxes will be paid by the Lottery. For selling the winning ticket, Fairhill Liquors will receive a $500 bonus.