Lottery player’s $2 mistake triples her Maryland prize. ‘Couldn’t believe it’
As a Maryland lottery player was buying tickets, she made a mistake.
That error, turns out, was a “happy accident,” which led her to an even bigger prize, Maryland Lottery officials said in a Sept. 11 news release.
The woman went to buy $1 Pick 5 tickets for the Sept. 8 evening and Sept. 9 midday drawings at a Randallstown gas station, lottery officials said.
She was trying to get her tickets for the evening drawing when her hand slipped.
“I accidentally hit it a third time,” the woman told lottery officials.
In doing so, lottery officials said the player ended up with three $50,000 winning tickets, meaning her $2 mistake bolstered her win to $150,000.
“I couldn’t believe it,” the winner said. “I kept looking at the numbers.”
The numbers — 20250 — were inspired by her grandson, who graduated high school this year, she told lottery officials.
The woman said she is a loyal lottery player and has taken home other smaller wins in the past.
“Last time I hit … $50,000, I got a new furnace and air conditioner and paid cash,” she told lottery officials. “I’m going to do the same this time.”
Randallstown is about a 15-mile drive northwest from Baltimore.
This story was originally published September 12, 2025 at 11:02 AM with the headline "Lottery player’s $2 mistake triples her Maryland prize. ‘Couldn’t believe it’."
