BALTIMORE — Carlos Gamez of Washington, D.C., turned a memorable date and a bit of lottery strategy into a $25,000 windfall in the Maryland Lottery’s Pick 5 game.
Gamez, a lottery enthusiast, purchased the winning ticket at State Line Market, located at 7817 Eastern Avenue in Silver Spring. He played the numbers 82524—a combination inspired by a license plate and an earlier DC Lottery win—on a 50-cent straight bet for five consecutive drawings, covering Nov. 9 through Nov. 11. The numbers hit exactly during the Nov. 10 evening drawing, securing him the $25,000 top prize.
The date 8-25-24 has been significant for Gamez since it delivered him a $50,425 prize earlier this year in the DC Lottery’s DC5 game. That previous win also stemmed from the same five-digit sequence, making it a lucky combination he decided to play again in Maryland.
Gamez, who claimed his prize on Nov. 15 at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore, attributes his lottery passion to his father and grandparents, who were avid players. Describing himself as frugal, he shared plans to save his winnings and continue playing responsibly within a set budget.
The retailer, State Line Market, will receive a $250 bonus—1% of the prize amount—for selling the winning ticket.