$50K Winning Lotto Ticket Will Help Player Pay Off Medical Debt

COLUMBIA, MD — A Howard County son who plays the lottery sporadically was shocked to discover he won $50,000 on a Bonus Match 5 ticket - and thanks his mom for the win.

“She’s the lottery player,” the winner told Maryland Lottery officials when he claimed the prize at lottery headquarters in Baltimore. “She always says, ‘you should try it.’”

When the player from Columbia was out running errands, he stopped for gas at an Exxon. While there, he remembered his mother’s words and decided to play Bonus Match 5. He bought just one ticket, a $6 quick pick with combinations. It wasn’t until the next day he realized he was a winner when he checked the lottery’s website.

“I honestly was a bit confused when I saw my numbers were matching,” said the winner. “I’ve only played a handful of times, so I wasn’t sure if it was $50,000 or what.”

The player called his mother, who verified the ticket was worth the $50,000 he had suspected. The big winner told lottery officials he is grateful and plans to take his mom out for a celebration. He also plans to use some of the winnings to pay off medical bills and for a down payment on a house.