New Carrollton’s James Pitt was in the perfect frame of mind to win $50,000 playing Bonus Match 5.
Buys lucky top-prize winning Bonus Match 5 ticket
He played his numbers just about every day, James Pitt told Lottery officials, and played with the attitude that he would probably never win big. However, a conversation with his sister soon reversed his pessimistic outlook just in time for the retired husband and father to win $50,000 playing Bonus Match 5.
“I was talking to her about the fun I have playing the Lottery but that I never expected to win,” James explained. She would hear none of it. “‘You’ve got to be optimistic,’ she insisted. So, I decided to try it out.”
Guided by this new mindset, the New Carrollton resident bought several tickets on his birthday last week. Included in the purchase was a quick-pick Bonus Match 5 ticket for the Aug. 11 drawing.
“When I checked the results on my Lottery app, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” said the 67-year-old. He enlisted his wife to help confirm his top-prize win. “Then, we drove to a store to scan it and there it was again – we’d won $50,000.”
The two said they immediately sent messages of gratitude heavenward. James followed this with a phone call to his sister. “I wouldn’t have bought those tickets if I hadn’t talked to my sister, if she hadn’t put me in a better frame of mind.”
James and his wife have no immediate plans for their Bonus Match 5 winnings. His lucky Lottery retailer is Gem Liquors at 9443 Annapolis Road in Lanham. The retailer earns a $500 bonus for selling the top-prize winning ticket.
This year, the Lottery has had 32 top-prize Bonus Match 5 wins.
