A Maryland man who played lottery numbers inspired by a stranger's license plate is now $50,000 richer.
The man, identified only as a retired grandfather from Hyattsville, Maryland, told the Maryland Lottery he was not entirely sure when he came up with his winning numbers, but is pretty thankful he did, according to a June 28 press release.
The man won the top prize in the June 26 Pick 5 drawing, the Maryland Lottery said.
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When picking up his prize, the Hyattsville grandfather said that he picks his lottery numbers from other cars' license plates – such as if he sees a car in an accident or one that passes him on the road.
Hyattsville, Maryland is located outside of Washington, D.C.
On June 26, he used the numbers 20533 – the exact winning combination for the $50,000 prize.
"I was happy and excited when my five digits hit," he told the Maryland Lottery.
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The probability of matching the exact numbers is 1 in 100,000, according to the Maryland Lottery's website.
The numerical combination of 20533 had proven lucky for the man during past lottery drawings, the Maryland Lottery said.
In 2023, he won $5,000 on a Pick 4 drawing when the numbers were "boxed" – meaning they were selected, but not in that order.
In that drawing, the number 20533 was converted to 2053 for a $5,000 payout, according to the Maryland Lottery's website.
With his latest winnings, the man said that he would be putting them into a savings account for his grandchild.
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"Lottery players have told us all sorts of stories about how they picked their winning numbers. Birthdates, house numbers or license plate numbers are popular choices. Some people use the uniform numbers of their favorite athletes," Seth Elkin, spokesman for the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, told FOX Business in an email.
In a game like Pick 5, Elkin told FOX Business, "a lot of people like to play their ZIP code."
"Choosing your numbers is part of the fun of playing lottery games, so people tend to pick numbers that are significant to them," he said.
Pick 5 is drawn twice a day at midday and in the evening, according to the Maryland Lottery's website.
Players can bet either 50 cents or $1. The smallest prize payout, $25, is awarded to players who exactly match either the first two or the last two numbers drawn.
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The Maryland Lottery was founded in 1973.
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Since then, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency has contributed more than $18.6 billion to the state, its website said.
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"To achieve our mission, we provide entertaining games that are run with honesty, integrity and transparency, and give Marylanders 18 years of age and older the chance to win cash and other great prizes," the organization said.
