A Charles County construction worker turned a routine stop at a La Plata Wawa into a $50,000 Bonus Match 5 jackpot after matching all five winning numbers.
A Charles County construction worker is celebrating a $50,000 Maryland Lottery win after a quick stop at a Wawa in La Plata led to a Bonus Match 5 top prize.
Jerry Baker Jr., who describes himself as a casual lottery player, purchased the winning Quick Pick ticket for the June 13 Bonus Match 5 drawing at the Wawa, 5955 Crain Highway in La Plata.
Ticket checker revealed something was different
Baker said he buys lottery tickets about once a week and prefers draw games, especially Bonus Match 5.
After returning to the same Wawa following the drawing, he scanned his ticket at the store’s ticket checker. Instead of displaying a prize amount, the machine instructed him to “Go to Lottery.”
Curious, Baker compared his numbers with the winning numbers on the Maryland Lottery website and discovered his ticket matched all five winning numbers.
“The have good food,” Baker said when asked why he regularly visits the La Plata Wawa.
Winner kept news private before telling family
Rather than immediately sharing the news, Baker said he waited a couple of days before telling his family.
He first informed his parents before sharing the news with his sister, who was so excited that she purchased her own lottery ticket in hopes of following his success.
Baker claimed his prize Friday at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore and said he plans to use the $50,000 to pay bills.
Key Points
- Charles County construction worker Jerry Baker Jr. won a $50,000 Bonus Match 5 top prize.
- The winning Quick Pick ticket was purchased at the Wawa on Crain Highway in La Plata.
- Baker said he plans to use his lottery winnings to pay bills.