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Dad tells son he has ‘good feeling’ about lottery ticket — then son wins big

A Maryland Lottery player is grateful for his dad’s advice.
A Maryland Lottery player is grateful for his dad’s advice. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A truck driver bought a lottery ticket in Maryland because his dad told him he had a “good feeling” about it.

Now he’s $50,000 richer.

The lucky lottery player wanted to stop and get some scratch-offs, the Maryland Lottery said in a May 29 news release.

But his dad said he should get a Pick 5 instead.

“I had no interest in Pick 5, but he said he had a good feeling about the five numbers in his license plate,” the son told lottery officials.

He listened to his dad, got the ticket at a store in Waldorf and checked it later that evening.

That’s when he saw a big prize.

“The adrenaline really started pumping. I was so excited. One heck of a happy moment,” the son said.

Lottery officials said he has plans to use his winnings to pay off debt.

Waldorf is about a 55-mile drive southwest from Baltimore.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published May 29, 2025 at 8:50 AM with the headline "Dad tells son he has ‘good feeling’ about lottery ticket — then son wins big."

Helena Wegner
McClatchy DC
Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.
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