Baltimore widower plays date in wife’s memory
After his wife of nearly five decades passed away, a Baltimore retiree who is an avid Maryland Lottery player began playing numbers related to their wedding date.
A few years later, those very numbers popped up as winners in the Dec. 1 Bonus Match 5 drawing and put a smile on his face and the game’s $50,000 top prize in his pocket. The happy great-grandfather of two has already stopped by his favorite Lottery retailer, Discount Cigarettes in Brooklyn Park, to check out the sign announcing his anonymous win there.
The retired Baltimore printing industry employee kept his win a secret for several days. The only person he told was his son, who accompanied the 74-year-old to Lottery headquarters. Our winner plans to share his good news with his other adult children now that he has claimed the prize.
The loyal Lottery player was alone when he discovered his win shortly after 6 a.m. the day following the drawing. As usual at that hour, he was enjoying a morning cup of coffee while online visiting his favorite sites. “I put Facebook on and then the Lottery,” he said, explaining that he checks his numbers at mdlottery.com. When the Bonus Match 5 drawing numbers appeared on his screen, he simply stared. “I looked at it, and I looked at it, and I LOOKED at it!” he said. “I thought, don’t tell me I didn’t play those numbers this time.”
Luckily, he had. The grandfather of five plans to spend his prize helping out his adult children and giving everyone a nice holiday. He also plans to keep playing his lucky numbers in hopes of returning to the Winner’s Lounge soon to claim an even bigger win!
For selling the top-prize winning ticket, Discount Cigarettes at 5716 Ritchie Highway in Brooklyn Park will receive a $500 bonus from the Lottery.