BALTIMORE – A La Plata man used his employee number when he played Pick 5, making three $1 bets on the combination, which is how he usually plays. All three Pick 5 tickets were straight bets, so when his numbers came up in the evening drawing on June 5, he got a $150,000 payday.
Speaking June 9 when he claimed the prize at Lottery headquarters, the winner said he had not shared the news with anyone. While he’d been keeping the secret even from his children, he said his plan was to surprise them. He also plans to use his winnings to pay bills, help other family members, and possibly travel.
The La Plata winner has worked for the federal government for nearly 10 years and enjoys roller skating in his free time.
He bought his tickets at Lady’s Liquors at 6474 Crain Highway in La Plata. He bought the winning tickets a few hours before the evening drawing, but fell asleep before the drawing took place. It wasn’t until the next morning when he checked the tickets that he realized he’d won. After seeing the numbers, he scanned his tickets on his phone, confirming the win.
Lady’s Liquors receives a $500 bonus for each top-prize-winning Pick 5 ticket, giving the store a total of $1,500.