Lucky Great-Grandpa Wins $25,000 with Free Pick 5 Ticket

Baltimore veteran astonished by good fortune

Kenneth Davis Sr. of Baltimore had never played the Lottery’s new Pick 5 game until a free ticket came his way, courtesy of the Try Pick 5 promotion.

The 75-year-old entrepreneur was visiting one of his favorite Lottery retailers, Cigarette Depot in Pasadena, when he received a free Pick 5 ticket while he was buying his Pick 3 and Pick 4 tickets. The Try Pick 5 promotion, which runs through June 5, randomly awards free 50-cent straight Pick 5 tickets with the purchase of other draw game tickets. The Pick 5 game launched in February.

The Pick 5 novice was already an avid fan of other Lottery games, he said. “I play Pick 3 and Pick 4 and scratchers,” he said. “I’ve never played Pick 5.”

After receiving his free ticket on May 20, the U.S. Army veteran simply put it away and didn’t look at it again until Saturday morning. He was checking the May 20 results on his computer and realized the five numbers on his ticket — 3, 0, 8, 1 and 6 — matched the winning numbers in the May 20 midday drawing. He then checked the prize structure of the Pick 5 game to see what he won for matching all five numbers.

“It said $25,000,” Kenneth recalled. “I got my magnifying glass out and it still said $25,000.”

Doubting his luck, the astonished player scanned the ticket. “It still said $25,000,” Kenneth said. “I couldn’t believe it at first.”

The owner of a machine tool repair business, Kenneth says he already “told the group at work” about his fantastic luck. He also already knows what he will do with his prize. He plans to pay a few bills and put the rest of the funds in the bank. And, when he goes to play his Lottery games again, you might find Pick 5 on the play list for this great-grandfather of three, grandfather of 12 and father of six.

For its role in the $25,000-winning ticket, Cigarette Depot earns a bonus of $250 from the Lottery. The lucky Anne Arundel County business is located at 8111 Fort Smallwood Road.