A commuter from rural northern St. Mary’s County turned a routine stop at a Charlotte Hall red light into a $200,000 windfall by playing Pick 5 numbers inspired by a truck tag he spotted.
The winner, who drives more than 70 miles one way to work, purchased the combination 19363 at Third Base, located at 28085 Point Lookout Road in Loveville. He placed four $1 straight bets and four $1 boxed bets for the Aug. 6 evening drawing and the Aug. 7 midday drawing. The numbers hit during the midday draw on Aug. 7, leading to his substantial prize.
“I was going to work and stopped at a red light in Charlotte Hall and I noticed the tag on a truck, 19363,” he said Aug. 15 after claiming his prize at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
He checked the results after the Aug. 6 evening drawing and found no match. The next day, after the midday drawing, he reviewed the winning Pick 5 numbers again.
“That number looks familiar,” he thought. Seconds later, he realized why.
“I was gasping for air. I was so happy!” he said.
“And the rest is history,” the winner added.
With retirement planned in about a year, he has clear intentions for the funds.
“I’m going to renovate the old house,” he said. It’s his parents’ old place, and the home where he grew up.
He intends to stick with his strategy of playing numbers that catch his attention. He reported success with this approach in the past but recalled a near-miss about a year ago when he considered playing his childhood home’s address while thinking about “the old house.” He skipped it, only to see the combination win straight a few days later.
“And it hit straight,” he recalls.
No large celebration is planned, but he did declare one indulgence: “Oh, I’m going to get a crab cake!”
Third Base in Loveville receives a $2,000 bonus from the Maryland Lottery for selling the winning ticket.
The Maryland Lottery’s Pick 5 game, which offers midday and evening drawings daily, requires players to select five digits from 0 to 9 or opt for a quick pick. A $1 straight bet pays $50,000 if the numbers match in exact order, explaining the winner’s $200,000 total from his four straight bets. The odds of winning straight are 1 in 100,000, making such prizes notable but achievable for regular players. Boxed bets pay out if the numbers match in any order, with varying prizes based on the combination.
St. Mary’s County has seen its share of lottery successes, underscoring the game’s popularity in the region. For instance, a local postal worker claimed a $50,000 prize on a Big Money scratch-off in April 2025, marking his first ticket purchase. Another resident, known as “Mystery Man,” won $50,000 on a Lots of Cash scratch-off in July 2025, his second major prize after a previous big win years earlier.These stories highlight how lottery participation contributes to community excitement and retailer bonuses.
Third Base has a history of selling winning tickets, including a $25,000 Pick 5 prize in May 2022 tied to a player’s intuition and address numbers. The store also sold four $50,000 Pick 5 tickets in early August 2025, part of a broader wave of prizes across the state Such bonuses, typically 1% of the prize up to a cap, support local businesses in small communities like Loveville.
Lottery proceeds in Maryland fund education, public health and safety, and environmental programs, with over $18 billion contributed since 1973. In St. Mary’s County, these wins not only change individual lives but also boost local economies through spending on home improvements, as in this case, or other personal goals.
Players interested in Pick 5 can visit retailers statewide or play online via the Maryland Lottery app. Drawings occur twice daily, with results posted promptly on the official site. Responsible gaming is encouraged, with resources available for those needing support.
This St. Mary’s County lottery winner’s story illustrates how everyday observations can lead to unexpected rewards, adding to the county’s growing list of fortunate players.
