Christmas comes early for Keno winning Port Tobacco player

Santa-esque Lottery enthusiast hits for $12,000

James Schumacher of Port Tobacco made his way to Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore on Sept. 25 to claim what could be an early Christmas present to himself: the proceeds of a $12,000 winning Keno ticket.

Sporting bright red suspenders and a bushy white beard, James has the look and jolly demeanor of a man with a big trip scheduled for exactly three months in the future. His Santa-esque appearance fuels plenty of jokes.

“I’ve got a sled double-parked on the roof,” he exclaimed as he greeted Lottery officials. He added that he wanted to beat rush hour traffic before heading home. “I’m the unofficial mayor of Port Tobacco!”

James played his six winning Keno numbers on Sept. 18 at his usual haunt, Apehangers Bar & Grill at 9100 Crain Highway in Bel Alton. His favorite Lottery retailer is seven miles from Port Tobacco and more than 4,000 miles (by Harley-Davidson) from North Pole, Alaska. He added the Super Bonus multiplier feature to his three-draw ticket and quadrupled his prize to $12,000.

The 67-year-old retired after 40 years at Pepco. One of the pleasures in his life is playing Lottery games. In addition to Keno, the Charles County resident occasionally indulges in Racetrax. Mega Millions and Powerball also give him a thrill. Likewise, he enjoys riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle on short excursions.

As for plans for his winnings, James says he’s doing pretty well on his pension and doesn’t anticipate making any lifestyle changes. “I’ve been looking at a condo in Ocean City, but $12,000 doesn’t touch that,” he said. The happy winner plans to keep playing Lottery games and maybe do something special with his friends.

Also in the money is his favorite Lottery retailer. For selling a winning Keno ticket of $10,000 or more, the Charles County business earns a bonus of $120 from the Lottery. The bonus is equal to 1 percent of the prize.