Former ZIP Code Nabs Columbia Man $50K Lotto Prize

COLUMBIA, MD — A Howard County man who used his former New York ZIP code to play the Maryland Lottery's Pick 5 game won $50,000, giving him enough money to pay for an upcoming vacation, buy new tires for his wife's vehicle and put some cash into savings.

The man, who previously lived in Queens, New York, used the ZIP code 11694 as his lucky numbers, playing the combination straight for $1 in the evening drawing.

According to Maryland Lottery officials, the man regularly plays Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5, although his wife usually purchases the tickets for him. Instead, she was grocery shopping one night before picking up her husband for a relative's birthday party when she stopped at Columbia Auto Care and Wash, 10611 Little Patuxent Parkway. She purchased several lottery tickets for the evening drawing, including the Pick 5 ticket featuring her husband's former ZIP code.

The couple attended the birthday celebration and didn't check the tickets until afterward. When the man looked up the winning numbers on the Maryland Lottery's website, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

“It really was something,” he told lottery officials when he claimed his prize. “I showed my wife and she made sure to check again to be sure.”

The couple confirmed they had won $50,000 and quickly made plans to claim their prize.

“I need new tires,” the man's wife said when she accompanied him to collect the winnings.

“We have a trip planned for next year,” the winner added. “So, I will pay that off too.”

The couple plans to put the remaining money into savings.

Columbia Auto Care and Wash also will receive a $500 bonus from the Maryland Lottery for selling the winning ticket.