Maryland woman says late brother’s numbers led to $50,000 lottery win
A St. Mary’s County player told Maryland Lottery officials a five-digit code tied to her late brother became her winning Pick 5 number.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
A Maryland woman says a number connected to her late brother helped deliver a $50,000 lottery prize.
The player, identified by Maryland Lottery officials as a St. Mary’s County woman, told the agency she began using a five-digit code linked to her brother’s services after he died a few years ago.
Those digits became her go-to Pick 5 numbers, according to the Maryland Lottery. On June 24, they matched the midday drawing and turned her ticket into a $50,000 winner.
A family code becomes a payday
The woman bought the Pick 5 ticket at Accokeek Gas & Go on Bryan Point Road in Prince George’s County, lottery officials said.
She later checked the drawing results while relaxing at home on her couch. The match was enough to make her look again.
“I had to do a double take,” she told Maryland Lottery officials.
The lottery said the ticket won $50,000. The woman told officials she credits her late brother for the lucky number set.
What she plans to do next
The winner told Maryland Lottery officials the money has a practical first stop: bills.
She also plans to use part of the prize for a trip to Jamaica with her son and her best friend, according to the lottery.
The win adds another family-linked twist to Maryland’s run of lottery stories. In this case, the player’s routine was built around numbers she said she found after a loss, then kept playing in Pick 5 drawings.
Maryland Lottery officials did not identify the woman by name in their account of the win.
The key details
- The winner is from St. Mary’s County, according to Maryland Lottery officials.
- She said the five-digit number came from a code associated with her late brother’s services.
- The winning ticket was for the June 24 midday Pick 5 drawing.
- The ticket was purchased at Accokeek Gas & Go on Bryan Point Road in Prince George’s County.
- The prize was $50,000, according to the Maryland Lottery.
- The winner said she plans to pay bills and travel to Jamaica with her son and best friend.
This story draws on original reporting from UPI.