Claims prize on straight 50-cent bet
A lucky Baltimore man who visited a Maryland Lottery retailer to play his usual round of Pick 3 games suddenly had a fortunate change of heart. After opting for a Pick 5 game instead, he found himself with a $25,000-winning ticket.
The 73-year-old found his lucky ticket at ING Wireless located at 7025 Liberty Road in Gwynn Oak. He normally places Pick 3 bets based on his address. Because he needed five numbers for his Pick 5 playslip, the winner used his truck’s license tag digits and topped it off with a 50-cent straight bet.
He soon discovered he has 25,000 reasons to celebrate. After watching the evening drawing, he immediately matched his ticket to the winning numbers at mdlottery.com and realized his change of game had paid off. The happy winner plans to share the great news only with his wife now that he has claimed the prize. When asked of his plans for his windfall, the player said he would pay bills and do some home repairs.
ING Wireless also has reason to celebrate. The retailer will receive a $250 bonus from the Lottery for its role in selling a winning Pick 5 ticket worth $25,000.
