A Calvert County resident won $31,118.30 from a Maryland Lottery Racetrax ticket after stopping at a convenience store on his way home from the gym. The win occurred on an August 29 drawing, and he claimed the prize at lottery headquarters in Baltimore on October 6.
The man, a father of two who works in information technology, selected numbers 9, 7, 11 and 12 for a Superfecta Box bet. The race results matched those numbers in the order 7, 9, 11 and 12. He placed a 10-cent bet per combination, covering all possible orders of the four horses finishing in the top spots.
He said it was his lucky day. “I said, ‘Let me go for it!'” he recalled October 6 when he claimed his prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
“I almost hit it straight. That would have given me over $200,000,” the big winner said. Winning on a Superfecta straight bet does yield a substantially higher prize, but his bet was a Superfecta box with a 10-cent bet for each horse to finish in all four possible top spots, so even if the horses had finished in the order of his bet, his payout would have been similar to his $31,118.30 score.
The father of two said he has been playing his combo for years. Many Racetrax players use the Superfecta box configuration with a 10-cent bet and play four of the long odds horses, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, and 7. Since the odds are very long, the 10-cent bets pay a solid return.
According to the Southern Maryland resident, he used to gamble at casinos and race tracks, but a friend got him into the Racetrax game. The IT worker plans on using his money to pay off bills and he is taking his family on a vacation near the end of the year.
He bought the winning ticket at the 7-Eleven at 7753B Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard in Glen Burnie. For selling the prize, the Anne Arundel County retailer receives a 1% bonus of $311.
Racetrax is a virtual horse racing game offered by the Maryland Lottery, where players bet on animated horses numbered 1 through 12. Races run every four minutes, with results generated randomly and displayed on monitors at retail locations. Bets start at 20 cents, and options include Quinella, Exacta, Trifecta and Superfecta, with the latter requiring picks for the top four finishers. A Superfecta Box bet covers all permutations of selected numbers, increasing chances but dividing payouts across combinations. For a $1 bet, a Superfecta straight win can pay up to $21,000, depending on horse odds, with prize pools capped at $1 million per race per win level. Players can add a Bonus option, doubling the ticket cost for a chance to multiply winnings up to 10 times via a pre-race wheel spin. Fixed probabilities apply, with overall odds of winning any prize at 1 in 3.6 for basic bets.
The game appeals to former track bettors, as it simulates real racing without live events. Maryland Lottery rules prohibit sales to those under 18, and prizes must be claimed within 182 days of the drawing. Retailers earn commissions on sales plus bonuses for big wins, typically 1% for prizes like this one, encouraging participation across the state.
Lottery participation remains steady in the region, with games like Racetrax drawing players from former gambling habits. Retailers such as the Glen Burnie 7-Eleven, outside Calvert but accessible via major routes, see bonuses that boost local business. For larger prizes, claims occur at Baltimore headquarters, with options for anonymity under state law.
Winners often use funds for debt reduction and family trips, as in this case. The Maryland Lottery promotes responsible play, noting that odds for Superfecta bets are long, around 1 in 11,880 for a straight $1 win. Players can check results via the lottery app or website, with past races searchable by game number.
This Racetrax prize adds to the game’s history since its 2006 launch, with top wins reaching $224,529 in 2018. For retailers, bonuses vary by game; scratch-offs and draw games like Bonus Match 5 offer fixed amounts, such as $500 for a $50,000 ticket. State regulations cap annual bonuses at 0.5% of gross receipts
