$25,000 Pick 5 prize will deliver special 25th wedding anniversary celebration
He buys a Pick 5 ticket every day, a Baltimore County man told Lottery officials this week. The day of the purchase changes and the time changes, he explained, but his numbers don’t. That Pick 5 combination that he plays every single time rewarded his loyalty with a $25,000 prize.
Asked the significance of his lucky combination, the retired printing company employee explained, “It’s my birthday.” He added, “As soon as Pick 5 started, I knew I had to play. I’ve always liked these five numbers together for some reason, so I knew the game was meant for me.”
On July 1, Lottery luck struck for the 70-year-old. He had placed a 50-cent straight bet on his birthday numbers for the evening drawing. “I walked into the living room just as the Pick 5 drawing was happening on TV,” he said. “I saw each number come up, the two 2s, then the two 5s and the last 2 – each in the exact order. I couldn’t believe it.”
The married player has one regret about his big win. “I’ve not been able to sleep much since I won. I’ve been excited and anxious to get the claiming process under way and finished. I’m afraid I’ve kept my wife up many of these nights.”
He hopes his plans for the Pick 5 winnings will pay her back for her patience. “Our 25th wedding anniversary is coming up soon,” he said. “I told her to pick where she wanted to go and I’d make it happen.”
Ingleside Liquors at 5648 Baltimore National Pike in Catonsville sold the lucky $25,000-winning ticket. Management there will receive a $250 bonus from the Lottery for its role in the big win.
