SALISBURY, Md. — A persistent lottery player from Salisbury is celebrating after winning $50,000 in the Maryland Lottery’s Pick 5 game, using numbers tied to a scam text message he received.
The winner, who chose to remain anonymous and refers to himself as “Persistent Player,” said he frequently plays Lottery games and uses a variety of number combinations, including birthdays and license plates. However, his strategy changed on July 20, when he received repeated text messages from a phone number asking for money.
“They kept calling and texting me and I said, ‘I am going to use that scammer to my advantage,’” the winner told Lottery officials. The five digits from the message—34268—were ingrained in his mind, so he added them to his rotation. His $1 straight bet, placed at Walmart #1890 on North Salisbury Boulevard, paid off during the July 20 evening drawing.
“Persistent Player” plans to use his prize money to pay bills and save the rest. He also shared his approach to playing: “The key to success is to play within your means and don’t change your numbers.”
In addition to the player’s winnings, the Salisbury Walmart where he purchased the ticket will receive a $500 bonus from the Maryland Lottery for selling the winning ticket.