Pasadena resident takes home $26,272 prize after lucky Superfecta bet
When a 67-year-old retired Pasadena man dropped in at Jimmy T’s Restaurant in Riviera Beach on Nov. 2, his plan was to enjoy a simple leisurely afternoon: Grab a late lunch, hang out with friends and play a few games of Racetrax. But he had no idea that the Maryland Lottery’s computer-animated horse racing game would have him galloping home $26,000 richer.
He won by placing a Superfecta bet of 8-9-4-5. And he didn’t have to wait long to cash in, because 8-9-4-5 was the order of finish in the first of the five races he played with those numbers. The exited winner said he was amazingly calm when he saw that his horses crossed the finish line in the exact order he had chosen. The winning bet paid $26,272.
“I had been betting on four different horses all day but I wasn’t winning so I asked the bartender to change my bet,” he said. “The moment I did that, I won. I then quietly whispered to the bar maid there to let her know I had won big.”
The lucky winner said the only other time he won a large Lottery prize was a few years ago when he placed a six-number bet on Keno and pocketed $4,000.
“We’re certainly pleased that we sold a big winning ticket to someone playing Racetrax,” said Robin Reinke, manager of Jimmy T’s. “We love it when our customers win.”
The Anne Arundel County resident said he plans to use his winnings to pay a few bills and enjoy the rest of his retirement – and maybe play a few more games of Racetrax. Jimmy T’s, located at 8031 Fort Smallwood Road, gets to celebrate as well. For selling a winning Racetrax ticket with a prize worth more than $10,000, the retailer will receive a $262.72 bonus from the Maryland Lottery – equal to 1 percent of the prize value.