Maryland man wins $32,000 after ‘mistake’ purchase of Keno ticket

A retired truck driver and grandfather from Baltimore proved that sometimes, “mistakes” just work out – and he won $32,000 in the lottery. 

The man, a regular Keno player, purchased a 10-spot ticket on June 5 while hanging out at his neighborhood bar, said the Maryland Lottery’s website on June 11. 

While filling out the ticket, the man, who chose not to be identified, filled out the “Bonus” feature for each of his games – meaning the ticket then cost $40. 

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The man, said the Maryland Lottery, had not expected to pay that much for his ticket. 

The bar employee asked him whether he still wanted to buy the ticket. 

“She said, ‘This is $40. Do you want to keep it?’ I said, ‘Go ahead.’ I always keep my mistake tickets,” said the man. 

The man explained to the Maryland Lottery that he always keeps the “mistake” tickets as he fears their numbers would be played if he were to refuse the ticket. 

By the fourth game of June 5, the man realized that this was exactly what was happening. 

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“I said to myself, ‘Oh my goodness, I got nine out of 10!’” he told the Maryland Lottery. 

After scanning the ticket, he realized how much he had won.

The big winner was identified only as a retired truck driver who is a resident of Baltimore. (Edwin Remsberg/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“It said $32,000. I said, ‘Oh my goodness, I’ve got to do a double take.’” 

The man quickly – and quietly – stashed his ticket in his wallet and promptly returned to his house, said the Maryland Lottery. He had never won that much before, he said. 

He collected his prize earlier this week, said the Maryland Lottery. 

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The man told the Maryland Lottery that he did not have any specific plans for his winnings, other than putting it in the bank for safekeeping, for now.

The man won $32,000 after accidentally filling out a lottery ticket (with bonus plays) that cost $40.  (iStock / iStock)

“Keno,” said the Maryland Lottery’s website, “is a fast-paced, fun game that allows you to choose how many numbers to play, how much money to wager, where to play and where to check your winning numbers.”

Winning Keno numbers are displayed on a monitor every three-and-a-half minutes, they said.

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The top prize in a regular Keno game for the Maryland Lottery is $100,000. 

The Maryland Lottery was founded in 1973.

Since then, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control agency has contributed $19.3 billion to the state of Maryland.

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“To achieve our mission, we provide entertaining games that are run with honesty, integrity and transparency, and give Marylanders 18 years of age and older the chance to win cash and other great prizes,” the organization said. 

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The Maryland Lottery has distributed more than $31.5 billion in prizes since its founding, according to its website.