Frederick resident Emily Campen, her husband Steven (left) and son Jessie were all smiles as Emily claimed a $12,507.50 Keno prize. |
Loyal player wins $12,507.50 on 8-spot ticket
Frederick resident Emily Campen used to teach biochemistry and physics to students in Frederick County schools. Now retired, the mother of four spends many afternoons studying the science behind the numbers in her favorite Maryland Lottery game, Keno.
On many Keno-playing occasions, her son Jessie joins Emily but not so on the afternoon of June 26. Emily was on her own at Atlantic Grille in Frederick when an 8-spot Super Bonus ticket packed with her lucky numbers delivered the biggest Lottery prize of her life – $12,507.50! Emily won with a playslip she uses regularly that contains all zero numbers – 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80. On the 11th draw of the 20 draws she purchased, all eight of the zero numbers showed up.
“I was on my way to buy more tickets, and I saw all of the zeros, like little light bulbs,” said Emily. Her husband Steven and Jessie joined the happy wife and mother as she claimed her prize at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
Her win offers a great example of the benefit of adding the Super Bonus option to a Keno ticket. The retiree had wagered only 25 cents per game, which gave her a base prize of $2,500. The 5x Super Bonus multiplier drawn for that game quintupled her prize to $12,500. The other 19 draws on the ticket produced an additional payout of $7.50.
After confirming the amount of her win, the 63-year-old called her husband to share the good news. “She said, ‘Are you sitting down?’” Steven told Lottery officials. “She said, ‘I just won big on Keno,’ and I said, ‘Oh, right!’ ”
Next, Emily texted Jessie to let him know what he’d missed. About a month ago, Emily won $500 and Jessie won $100 on the same day. “She sent me a text that said she won $12,500 on Keno, and I texted back, ‘Liar!’ ” Jessie said with a laugh.
Emily plans to put her winnings in the bank for now. The family may use the prize to plan a vacation, and perhaps a special Fourth of July weekend that will include a celebration of Jessie’s birthday on July 3.
The Atlantic Grille, located at 3531 John Simmons St. in Frederick, is a winner as well. For selling a Keno ticket valued at more than $10,000, the retailer will receive a $125 bonus from the Maryland Lottery – equal to 1 percent of the prize.