Who says an old address can’t bring you good luck?
Russell Bowie of Gaithersburg, Maryland, regularly plays the state Lottery’s Pick games, using a personal list of numbers he believes in. One combination came from an old home address—and it delivered an incredible payoff.
Last month, Bowie played 1-1-3-2-0 in the Pick 5 drawing. But he didn’t just buy one ticket. He purchased four straight-bet tickets with the same numbers.
Then came the surprise.
Bowie had been off work and took a nap earlier that day. When he woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t fall back asleep, he decided to check the winning numbers.
That’s when he realized something unbelievable.
“When I saw my Pick 5 numbers, I woke up my girlfriend. I needed her glasses to be sure of what I was seeing,” Bowie said.
He wasn’t imagining it. His numbers had hit all four times.
Each winning ticket paid the Pick 5 top prize of $50,000, turning Bowie’s four-ticket play into a $200,000 payday.
The winning tickets were sitting in his car, so Bowie quickly went to get them. After seeing them for himself, there was no chance he was going back to sleep.
Despite the massive win, Bowie kept things low-key. Rather than throwing a huge celebration, he and his girlfriend simply took a moment to be grateful.
The lucky numbers:
- Pick 5 combination: 1-1-3-2-0
- Winning tickets: 4
- Prize per ticket: $50,000
- Total prize: $200,000
Bowie officially claimed his prize on Tuesday, August 4, according to Maryland Lottery officials.
All four winning tickets were purchased at the 7-Eleven on Gaither Road in Rockville. The store also got a nice bonus for its role in the lucky streak: the retailer will receive $2,000, or $500 for each winning ticket.
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