Superfecta Box bet leads to 2nd largest prize in the game’s history in Maryland
A near-record Racetrax win put Paul “Pickles” McDonald (behind check) in the Winner’s Circle with friend Eric Gordon (right).
An amazing Racetrax Superfecta Box bet left all of Paul “Pickles” McDonald’s three previous prizes in the dust and put Corner Lounge in Upper Marlboro on the lucky retailer roster. The avid player’s $194,188 prize earned him a spot in the Maryland Lottery record book, too, for winning the second largest prize in the game since the Lottery launched Racetrax in 2006.
The key to the Bowie resident’s win was a longshot Superfecta Box combination bet coupled with the game’s Bonus option. The owner of Supreme Landscaping in Bowie, Paul told Lottery officials he prefers the high payoff that long odds deliver. Those long odds gave him large Lottery prizes in the past. His latest trip to the Winner’s Circle began when the 46-year-old experienced the feeling that the 9, 10, 11 and 12 Racetrax horses might finish in the top four spots later that evening.
The 46-year-old went into action! Paul placed a 10-cent Superfecta Box bet on several races, paying for each of the possible four-horse combinations. He also added the game’s Bonus option – a wager of $4.80 per race.
Sure enough, with a few races left, Paul saw some familiar horses in the winner’s circle and rushed to see if he won a hefty purse. The ticket checker confirmed his suspicions! The happy man recalls that he began to shout and wail excitedly. “I was cussing and shouting ‘I hit,’ ” Paul said.
He immediately called his longtime friend Eric Gordon, who was asleep, to share the great news. The pair presented the lucky ticket together at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore to claim Paul’s prize. He plans to use his winnings to pay bills and may browse at a Cadillac dealership in the near future.
The Upper Marlboro corridor where the $194,188 ticket was sold may be a hot spot for Lottery winners. The recent win at the Corner Lounge located at 105 Crain Highway is only a half mile away from the largest-ever Racetrax win (Wawa – $361,842). The Corner Lounge will receive a $1,941.88 bonus from the Lottery for selling a winning Racetrax ticket of $10,000 or more. The bonus is equal to 1 percent of the prize.
A near-record Racetrax win put Paul “Pickles” McDonald (behind check) in the Winner’s Circle with friend Eric Gordon (right).
