Maryland man stunned after promotional free ticket delivers $50K jackpot
BALTIMORE, Md. — A retired Maryland carpenter turned a free lottery ticket into a $50,000 jackpot after a convenience store stop for snacks and a FAST PLAY game led to an unexpected surprise.
The Calvert County resident arrived at Maryland Lottery headquarters on May 13 carrying a Bonus Match 5 ticket worth $50,000 and a story he said still feels hard to believe.
The longtime lottery player said he regularly buys three or four tickets each week and has become a fan of FAST PLAY games.
His winning streak began during a stop at a Fastop convenience store in North Beach, where he purchased a Lightning Cash FAST PLAY ticket.
According to lottery officials, a promotional offer tied to the game automatically printed a free Bonus Match 5 ticket alongside his purchase.
The retiree said he rarely plays Bonus Match 5 and could not remember ever purchasing one before.
The next morning, he scanned the unfamiliar ticket using the Maryland Lottery app and discovered it was a top-prize winner worth $50,000.
Lottery officials said the winning ticket was purchased at Fastop, located at 8834 Chesapeake Avenue in North Beach.
The retailer will receive a $500 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Maryland Lottery officials said players who buy a $5 Lightning Cash FAST PLAY ticket through May 24 will automatically receive a free $2 Bonus Match 5 ticket as part of the ongoing promotion.
Key Points
• A Maryland retiree won $50,000 using a free Bonus Match 5 ticket
• The winning ticket came from a FAST PLAY lottery promotion
• The ticket was sold at a Fastop store in North Beach
