Big win discovered while checking tickets after the game
A Maryland Lottery enthusiast who switches between Racetrax, Pick 3 and Pick 4, scored a $15,473 win on July 12 playing the long-odds horses on a Trifecta Box bet.
“I didn’t know I had won until I checked the ticket later,” the Baltimore player said this week after claiming his prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
Players have substantial options for betting on both live horseracing and Racetrax. They can wager on a simple one-horse first-place finish to a combination bet that involves picking two, three or four horses – known respectively as Quinella, Trifecta and Superfecta – to finish in the top spots.
As an added element, Racetrax has 12 horses per race with the No. 1 horse having the best odds of winning and the lowest payout. The No. 12 horse has the longest odds but the greatest payout. The Baltimore winner prefers the long-odds horses because of the chance of a big score.
“For 1, 2, 3, 4, I call it pocket money,” said the 60-year-old. “I just know the higher the numbers pay more money.” For his July 12 win, the lucky man played horses 10, 11 and 12 as a Trifecta Box bet for 10 races. This means he wins if those three horses finish in the first three spots, regardless of order. Playing boxed paid off as the horses finished 11, 10, 12 for one of his 10 races.
Typically, although not always, the retiree buys a Racetrax ticket or two after picking up a few dollars or more playing Pick 3 or Pick 4. Just in case the situation arises, he carries a few old Racetrax tickets with him so he can ask for them to be scanned and replayed for an accurate and quick transaction.
As for his plans for the prize, the loyal player wasn’t certain. The winner may advance-pay a few bills, have some automotive work done, visit a casino, do a combination of those options or even something else with his windfall.
He will continue playing the Lottery, he said, mainly because he enjoys it and wins enough prizes to keep his games interesting.
The winner bought his lucky ticket at Pikesville Mobil located at 1509 Reisterstown Road in Pikesville. The store receives a bonus equal to 1% of the prize, or $154.73, for selling a winning Racetrax ticket of $10,000 or more.