Essex man wins $50K Bonus Match 5 jackpot using grandchildren’s ages
ESSEX, MD — A Baltimore County retiree turned a sentimental strategy into a serious payday when he used the ages of his grandchildren to win a $50,000 top prize in the Maryland Lottery’s Bonus Match 5 game.
John Lang of Essex hit the jackpot after matching all five numbers on a ticket he purchased at Mace Liquors, located at 507 Mace Avenue. The longtime player said he hadn’t played in about a month but decided to buy a ticket last week — and it paid off big.
Lang explained that he regularly plays combinations based on his grandchildren’s ages, updating the numbers as they get older. “If my 20-year-old grandchild turns 21, the next day I take 20 out and put in 21,” he said.
He found out he won when he returned to the store to check the ticket. “They said ‘Mr. John, you just won $50,000’,” Lang recalled.
The Essex retailer will also benefit from the win, earning a $500 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Lang, who plans to set aside some of the prize money for savings, said the rest will go toward home improvement projects.
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Key Points
- John Lang of Essex won a $50,000 Bonus Match 5 prize using his grandchildren’s ages as numbers
- The winning ticket was purchased at Mace Liquors on Mace Avenue in Baltimore County
- The retailer receives a $500 bonus; Lang plans to save and invest in home projects