Man Lines Pockets With $12,352 Lotto Prize In Silver Spring

SILVER SPRING — A 50-year-old hospitality worker is treating his friends and family after bringing home more than $12,000 in prize money on a Racetrax ticket.

The man, known to his friends as "Rigo," has always been a fan of scratch-off lottery games, but switched his game of choice to Racetrax, an animated horse-racing game, after hearing of a relative's success, the Maryland Lottery said in a press release.

Rigo, who often wins small small sums, switched to quick-pick tickets after finding the playslip confusing. Within three weeks, he had scored an $800 win.

Using his winnings, Rigo went to the Internacional Mercado Latino store in Wheaton, where he bought a 20-draw Racetrax Trifecta ticket (while saving $3 on his wager through a Racetrax promotion under way through Sept. 9.)

When Rigo returned home, he found he had correctly guessed the order of the horses in one of his 20 races, putting him in the path of a windfall of cash. Rigo said he and his wife plan to share some of their prize money with family members and friends.

His retailer is also in the money. For selling a winning Racetrax ticket of $10,000 or more, the market located at 2519 Ennalls Avenue earns a $123.52 bonus — equal to 1 percent of the prize.

Image via Maryland Lottery