A Maryland man who purchased three identical $1 Pick 5 lottery tickets using the digits from his employee ID number at a federal government job won a total of $150,000, according to Maryland Lottery officials.
The winner, a La Plata resident, bought the tickets at Lady’s Liquors on Crain Highway in La Plata, lottery officials said. He used the same number — his employee identification number from his federal government position — on each of the three $1 tickets.
The man told lottery officials he fell asleep before the June 5 drawing and only discovered the next morning that all three tickets had matched the winning numbers drawn, each earning a $50,000 prize for a combined $150,000.
The winner said he has not told his family about the windfall and is planning to surprise his children with the news. He said his winnings will go toward sharing with family members, paying bills and possibly traveling.