Charles County man planning home remodeling with winnings
Some Lottery fans are superstitious, playing the same numbers every day because they worry about missing out on a big prize if they change their digits. A Waldorf resident who takes that approach played his license plate number in the March 9 Pick 5 drawing as he has for years. This time, however, he won $50,000.
The Southern Maryland resident, who chose the alias “Big Mike” to tell the story of his $50,000 win, has played Lottery games for more than 40 years. His biggest score, prior to his recent Pick 5 win, was $10,000. “Big Mike” enjoys playing Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 along with Powerball when the jackpot is high enough to risk it.
The day he bought his lucky ticket at Charles Station in Waldorf, “Big Mike” had lost his keys. He retraced his steps and found his keys on the ground near the front of his truck. “Big Mike” took that as a sign he should play his license plate number, as he typically does, on a Pick 5 ticket. He placed a $1 straight bet on the numbers, went home and didn’t check for a win until the afternoon.
“I checked the winning Pick 5 numbers on my phone using the website that afternoon and I thought I was being pranked or misreading the numbers,” he said.
“Big Mike” was so excited he fell to his knees briefly, he told Lottery officials. He asked his adult daughter to come verify his win. When she did, they celebrated by dancing and drinking a few beers.
The Charles County player considers this win an early birthday gift. When asked how he plans to spend his windfall, “Big Mike” said he will pay bills and make some much needed home renovations.
His lucky Charles County retailer, located at 3030 St. Charles Parkway in Waldorf, also is a winner. Charles Station will receive a $500 bonus from the Lottery for selling a $50,000-winning Pick 5 ticket.
