MD Army Veteran Wins Biggest Jackpot In History Of Lotto Game

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — An Army veteran from Prince George's County has won the largest Racetrax prize in the game's history.

The veteran arrived at Maryland Lottery headquarters Jan. 15 to claim the $660,414 prize. The game debuted in Maryland in August 2006. He shared stories about his life with Maryland Lottery officials and said he's "surprised I didn’t have a heart attack."

The Army veteran winner, who chose the alias “Irish Luck” while claiming his prize, placed a $1 superfecta bet Jan. 12 for 10 races, adding the bonus option (for a total ticket price of $20) and choosing the horses numbered 12, 10, 8 and 7 to finish first through fourth. He placed his bet at the American Legion Cummings-Behlke Post 226 at 830 Mayo Road in Edgewater.

“Irish Luck” characterizes himself as an occasional Racetrax player, and he never watches the games as they play out on the monitor. Instead, he puts the ticket in his pocket and checks it after he gets home, he told lottery officials.

“That night, I scanned the ticket on the lottery app and couldn’t believe what I saw,” he said. “I quickly yelled for my wife to come over and see what I won.”

When his wife looked at his phone, she thought the win was more than $6,000, he told lottery officials.

“I told her to look closer,” he said. “She then thought it was $60,000, so I told her to look again.”

To win on a superfecta wager, the four horses must cross the finish line in exact order chosen. This ticket would have been worth $220,138, but “Irish Luck’s” addition of the bonus option kicked in. The randomly selected multiplier for his winning game was X3, increasing his prize to $660,414.

The winner said he plans to share his winnings with his family.

The Anne Arundel County American Legion post will receive a $6,604.14 bonus for selling the winning ticket.