A Frederick County woman won a $50,000 top prize from the Maryland Lottery’s Pick 5 game after using her late mother’s birthday to select the winning numbers, officials announced Tuesday.
The health care specialist, who requested anonymity, told Lottery officials she had been thinking of her mother more than usual recently, which inspired her to play the meaningful combination. Though the birthday was not her own, she had been regularly using the numbers on Pick 5 tickets in recent weeks.
“I’ve been thinking about my mom recently, more so than I usually do,” she said. “It gave me the idea to use some numbers from her birthday for my Pick 5 numbers.”
On April 29, she checked the results using the Maryland Lottery app and discovered her numbers had hit. She described the emotional moment as a mix of disbelief and excitement, saying, “It really was unbelievable. I went from joy to doubt and back again.”
Damascus store rewarded for selling winning ticket
The winning ticket was purchased at Carroll Fuel, located at 26234 Ridge Road in Damascus, Montgomery County. The retailer will receive a $500 bonus for selling the top-prize ticket.
The winner said the timing of the prize was especially meaningful, as she and her family have bills coming due. “This takes care of all of them and then some,” she said.
The April 29 win is one of several recent top prizes awarded in the Pick 5 game, which continues to draw high participation across Maryland.