Columbia woman claims big win on free straight bet quick-pick ticket
A Columbia woman tasked with checking on her parents’ home on the Eastern Shore while they are away for the summer made a welcome discovery recently. The water in the house is turned off so she makes a restroom stop before arriving. This led the 58-year-old to stop at a Lottery retailer, where she came across a free Pick 5 ticket carrying a $25,000 prize.
The lucky lady visited Kent Island Depot located at 320 Romancoke Road in Stevensville. After buying her Pick 3 and Pick 4 tickets, she received a free Pick 5 ticket due to a recent Try Pick 5 Lottery promotion. She purchased her tickets on a Friday evening and didn’t check them until Sunday morning.
The Howard County resident took a few minutes that day to scan several tickets using the Maryland Lottery app on her smartphone. Only then did she learn the free ticket for the June 3 evening drawing won $25,000.
“My eyes were moving too fast,” the happy winner said. She told Lottery officials that she was so used to seeing a “Not a Winner” message when scanning tickets that it took her a second to realize that the message was different. “I started screaming to the point that my boyfriend thought I saw a snake or something,” she added.
The loyal player has worked as a massage therapist for 20 years. She plans to use her winnings for a new car, dental work and to pay off bills.
Also celebrating is her Queen Anne’s County retailer. Kent Island Depot will receive a $250 bonus for its role in her $25,000 Pick 5 win.
