Top-prize win is biggest ever for loyal player
“Stuck in the garage” recently, a taxi cab driver has turned his attention from beating traffic to beating the odds in his favorite Lottery game. A long-time fan of Bonus Match 5, the Prince George’s County resident decided that he was tired of settling for its lower-tier prizes. He wanted to win the big money.
“I already bought a ticket for every drawing,” the loyal player explained to Lottery officials last week. Bonus Match 5 drawings take place seven days a week. “I decided to double up until I was back behind the wheel.”
Instead of spending $3 a day, he ponied up $6. That $6 Bonus Match 5 purchase bought nine lines of numbers, and it was one of those extra lines, he tells us, which delivered his $50,000 top-prize win on Aug. 28. Another line added $15 to his score.
He scanned the ticket the next morning, and to his great surprise, saw an unexpected message. “I’m used to seeing ‘Not a winner,’ $15 and $30 wins, and once even $600. ‘Go to lottery’ was a new one for me.” His surprise led immediately to excitement when our winner realized what the message likely meant.
“My heart started beating so fast that I clutched my chest, just like on TV,” he said, joking. “Right away, I sent my thanks upstairs where it belongs.” The top prize came courtesy of West Laurel Exxon at 15151 Sweitzer Lane. Management at the Laurel business will receive a $500 bonus from the Lottery for selling a top-prize winning Bonus Match 5 ticket.
This was the 23rd top-prize winning Bonus Match 5 ticket sold in 2024.
