Lottery ticket inspired by player’s birthday leads to big win. ‘Dream come true’
A Maryland woman’s lottery ticket purchase inspired by her birthday led to a big win, one that felt “like a dream come true.”
While the woman was visiting family on “an ordinary Sunday,” she stopped by a Baltimore gas station, Maryland Lottery officials said in a Sept. 2 news release.
She played a $1 straight bet on a Pick 5 ticket for the Aug. 29 drawing using “her usual numbers: 8-1-6-5-1, a combination based on her birthday,” lottery officials said.
The woman returned to the store the following day to check her ticket “and was stunned to see the word ‘Winner!’ appear,” lottery officials said.
Still in disbelief over her win, the woman checked her ticket again, this time using the Maryland Lottery app.
Then, reality hit: “She was holding a $50,000 ticket.”
The winner shared the news with close family, and they, too, “were equally shocked and excited,” lottery officials said.
The woman told lottery officials she plans to use her winnings on home renovations and save the remaining funds.
Despite the big win, the loyal lottery player’s biggest to date, the woman said she has no plans to stop playing lottery games.
“I’ve always played (lottery games),” the winner said. “It’s a part of my life, and now that I’ve won, I hope to have even more success in the future.”
This story was originally published September 4, 2025 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Lottery ticket inspired by player’s birthday leads to big win. ‘Dream come true’."
