Persistence Pays Off For Suitland Man

Playing the Maryland Lottery every day for the past 20 years paid off big for a Prince George’s County resident.  The 66-year-old man, who chose to remain anonymous, came to Lottery headquarters this afternoon to claim a $50,000 Bonus Match 5 prize.

The Andrews Air Force Base heavy equipment operator was still shaking his head in disbelief when describing his big win:  “I didn’t even know,” he said, “she just told me!”  The “she” to whom the winner was referring was his long-term girlfriend who discovered his good fortune several weeks after its April 30 purchase.  “He had some old tickets that hadn’t been checked and I decided to scan them one day,” she said.  “I knew we had won big when I saw the ‘see attendant’ message on the screen.”  Initially, she planned to keep the win a secret for a few weeks, but that soon changed.  “As soon as I saw him I knew I had to tell him immediately.”

The winner intends to use his prize money to help out family members and possibly go on a cruise.  He also plans to take his girlfriend out for a nice dinner on the town. The winning ticket was purchased at the White Oak Convenience Store, located at 11407 Lockwood Dr. in Silver Spring.