A woman from Washington, D.C., says trusting her instincts led her to a life-changing lottery win worth more than $250,000.
Identified only as a daycare worker, she struck gold in the Pick 5 lottery on Wednesday, Oct. 15, according to the Maryland Lottery. Her winning combination — 29000 — had appeared repeatedly in her daily life leading up to the draw.
She told the Maryland Lottery that she first noticed the number on the news, displayed on an airplane, and later saw the same digits printed on a bag of cashews she purchased. “I almost never buy cashews,” she said, adding that the repeated coincidence felt like a sign to play.
Acting on her intuition, she played the combination multiple times. “In addition to playing the combination five times for $1 each, she also purchased several 50 cent boxed bet tickets and ended up giving those away to family and friends,” the Maryland Lottery reported.
One of her tickets turned out to be a major winner. She claimed her $250,000 prize at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore on Monday, Oct. 20. Afterward, she gifted her extra tickets to family and friends, saying, “I’m just trying to help people.”
The woman has no plans to quit her daycare job. She said she enjoys her work and prefers a simple life with her husband. “I can sit on my porch with my husband and talk, and it’s like taking a trip,” she shared.
This isn’t her first taste of good fortune — she previously won $80,000 from the D.C. Lottery, which she used to remodel her kitchen. With her new winnings, she plans to make additional improvements to her home.
She purchased the lucky ticket at the BP gas station located at 4501 Eastern Avenue in Mount Rainier. The retailer earned a $2,500 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Since its founding in 1973, the Maryland Lottery has contributed more than $20.7 billion to the state’s programs and services.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling problem, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network at 1-800-522-4700 or visit gamtalk.org.
