Brings home $100,000 total prize from two Pick 5 tickets
A 51-year-old Charles County man has played Pick 5 using the same numbers – 4, 8, 5, 4 and 8 – since the game kicked off in February. He is now $100,000 richer after hitting the numbers straight on two separate tickets bought for the same drawing.
The lucky truck driver was coming from work on May 17 when he purchased two $1 straight tickets and two $1 box tickets for the Pick 5 midday drawing. Of course, he played his favorite numbers. The Waldorf resident didn’t see the drawings and had no idea that he won until his fiancée called him later that day.
“‘You played your numbers, right?’ she said to me,” the anonymous player recalled, sharing the story of his big win with Lottery officials. “Of course I did,” was his response. “’We got it’ she screamed through the phone!”
The lucky player asked her what numbers she was referring to, because sometimes he plays different numbers. His fiancé read back the numbers 4, 8, 5, 4 and 8. He checked the tickets for himself, using the Lottery app on his phone and confirmed his big win. He won $50,000 on each ticket and also won $1,650 twice on the two box tickets.
“I just got warm all over,” said the winner.
He claimed the two smaller prizes before coming to Lottery headquarters on Friday to cash in his two $50,000-winning tickets. The loyal player told Lottery officials that he plans to purchase a dirt bike for his fiancée’s son with his prize and will put the rest of the money in the bank.
The Pick 5 fan bought his tickets from Canopy Liquors located at 21636 Great Mills Road in Lexington Park. The St. Mary’s County retailer has reason to celebrate, too. For selling the two $50,000-winning Pick 5 tickets, the store will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Lottery.
