NEED TO KNOW
- A man from Washington, D.C., used a series of numbers on a license plate to help him take home a five-figure lottery win
- John Murphy, a retired Metro worker, won $50,000 in the Maryland Lottery
- “I was in shock. It was the last day of my draw,” he said of his win
A Washington, D.C., man had a strange feeling when he saw a series of numbers on a license plate — but never imagined that it would result in him taking home a five-figure lottery win.
According to officials with the Maryland Lottery, John Murphy, a retired Metro worker, was headed into a liquor store to grab a lottery ticket, part of his usual routine, when he spotted an interesting license plate.
As he headed into AJ Liquors — located in Brentwood, Md., about five miles outside D.C. — Murphy saw a license plate with the numbers 43871. The plate caught his attention, he explained, because his cellphone number started with 438, which he thought was a sign.
By the time the winning number was announced at midday on Oct. 17, Murphy couldn’t believe that he had actually won a $50,000 prize.
“I was in shock,” he said.
John Murphy with his wife, Zina.
Maryland Lottery
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Although Murphy is a regular lottery player, he often plays the D.C. Lottery, and opted to buy a Maryland ticket at the recommendation of his sister-in-law.
“My sister in-law knows that I play in D.C., but said to me, ‘You need to play in Maryland,’ ” he shared.
On Tuesday, Oct. 21, Murphy and his wife Zina made the drive to Baltimore to claim his prize.
Although he didn’t have a set plan in mind for how he would spend the winnings, Murphy said that him and his wife are avid travelers.
According to the Maryland Lottery, the liquor store will receive $500 for selling a winner ticket.
Murphy isn’t the only lottery winner in recent weeks to come up with a winning number through unusual means. Last month, a Michigan woman won $100,000 playing Powerball after ChatGPT picked her winning numbers.
“I asked ChatGPT for a set of Powerball numbers, and those are the numbers I played on my ticket,” she explained. “… My husband and I were in total disbelief.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling problem, please contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network at 1-800-522-4700 or go to gamtalk.org.
