Free lottery ticket turns into shocking $50K payday for Maryland retiree

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.

Now unfolding, Teen vanishes after leaving home in Cumberland.

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.

Continuing coverage, Police search for missing 12 year old last seen in Catonsville.

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

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