A federal government employee won more than $300,000 playing Racetrax last month, the third-biggest win in game history. The Prince George’s County man told Lottery officials July 7 that it was a last-moment addition that delivered the massive payoff.
“I don’t play too often, but when I do, it’s Racetrax,” the excited man said after claiming his $305,776.50 prize on July 7. He said he’s won big prizes in the past using a specific strategy – the very system from which he deviated on June 19.
The Lottery is celebrating the animated horse racing game’s 20th anniversary next month. In the two decades of the game being played in Maryland, it has seen only two wins larger than the one in Capitol Heights:
- A $660,414 win on a ticket sold at the American Legion Post 226 in Edgewater and claimed on Jan. 12 of this year, and;
- A $361,842 win on a ticket sold at the Wawa store at 163 Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro and claimed on Jan. 29, 2016.
For this win, the player stuck with his favorite horses, 9, 10, 11 and 12 (all longshots) and his favorite wager (superfecta), but as he stepped up to the counter, he switched his bet to superfecta box. This change allowed for a win no matter in which order his horses finished, as long as they were all among the first four.
“I never box my numbers because it costs more, but this time something made me switch it up,” he said.
The Capitol Heights resident watched the race at the gas station where he’d stopped to fill the tank.
“I was in no hurry so I went in to get try my luck,” he said. As his horses made their way toward the front of the pack, his excitement got the best of him.
“It’s a little embarrassing, but I was yelling for them to pull ahead.”
Happily, they did.
Knowing that he’d won something big, the Racetrax fan scanned his ticket.
“I was expecting $30,000. When I saw all the extra numbers, I started jumping around.” He was soon joined by store employees who had figured out what was happening.
“I had to apologize when I left,” the big winner admitted. “I’d knocked down a couple displays in my excitement.”
The 50-cent Racetrax bet, which, because of his inspired box selection, resulted in a $10 ticket, was sold by Telegraph Exxon at 805 Reece Road in Severn. The Anne Arundel County business receives a bonus of $3,057.76 for selling the big winner.
