CALLAWAY, MD — A Calvert County man narrowly avoided losing out on a $50,400 lottery prize after rediscovering a winning Bonus Match 5 ticket in his file container just days before the claim deadline.
The Southern Maryland resident, who plays lottery games weekly for fun, purchased the ticket on July 12 at the Shell gas station located at 20943 Point Lookout Road in Callaway. Using jersey numbers from his favorite sports teams, he selected six boards for the drawing, one of which matched all five numbers to win the $50,000 top prize. Another board, a quick-pick selection, matched four numbers, earning an additional $400.
The retired food service worker said he routinely saves his tickets, but occasionally misplaces them. This time, he found the ticket just in time, as the 182-day deadline to claim the prize was fast approaching.
“I’ve lost tickets in the past,” the winner said, expressing relief at locating the life-changing ticket. He plans to use the winnings to pay bills and add to his savings.
For selling the top-prize-winning ticket, the Callaway Shell station received a $500 bonus from the Maryland Lottery.