A Salisbury woman is celebrating after claiming a $50,015 prize from the Maryland Lottery after matching the numbers on a Bonus Match 5 ticket. The longtime player, accompanied by her husband, shared her story Sept. 23 at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
The winner, who has been playing the Lottery since 1981, said she’s tried nearly every game over the years. Less than a year ago, she decided to focus on Bonus Match 5 because she was feeling she wasn’t winning as often with other games.
Her decision paid off with a Sept. 10 ticket purchase while spending the day at Ocean Downs Casino in Ocean City with her husband. Before heading home, her husband purchased a Bonus Match 5 ticket with three combinations “just in case.” Later that evening, when she asked if the ticket was any good, he checked the numbers online.
“He was shocked when he realized all the numbers matched,” she said. “When he showed me the results, I thought he was joking. But when I saw it for myself, I was filled with excitement and emotion.”
One combination matched all of the first five numbers drawn for a $50,000 win, and the other combinations resulted in lower tier prizes totaling $15.
“This is my largest win ever,” the winner said. “I’ve been playing Bonus Match 5 for less than a year, and for this to be my biggest prize after all these years puts me on top of the world.”
Although she hadn’t decided how she will use her winnings, she said she plans to enjoy the moment as a recent retiree. And this win isn’t slowing her down — she’s already thinking about which game might deliver her next big prize.
Ocean Downs Casino at 10218 Racetrack Road in West Ocean City will receive a bonus of $500.
