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Memory of late sister makes man switch his Maryland lottery routine. It paid off

Allen Lindemon usually plays Powerball but won big in a different game.
Allen Lindemon usually plays Powerball but won big in a different game. Maryland Lottery

A man thinking of his late sister switched his lottery routine — and it paid off.

Allen Lindemon of Maryland said he was with his dog when he saw a cloud that reminded him of the headstone on his sister’s grave. The next day, he was at a store and wondered if the cloud was a sign that his sister wanted him change his go-to lottery strategy.

“I never pick up scratch-offs,” Lindemon told the Maryland Lottery in a March 15 news release.

But Lindemon, who usually plays the Powerball drawing game, said he decided to follow his gut and bought a scratch-off ticket for the Lucky Riches game. He later checked the ticket and showed it to his wife.

“I never in the world won this much money,” the winner said. He had won the game’s top prize of $50,000.

The couple celebrated Lindemon’s jackpot prize after he spent $5 on the winning ticket at a Quick Mart in the Dundalk area of Baltimore County. He had trouble sleeping the night he discovered his big win.

Even though he put his ticket in a safe, the “experience left Allen wide awake.” Lindemon, who lives in Dundalk, eventually claimed his prize, though the lottery in its news release didn’t say how much he kept after taxes.

Lindemon isn’t the only lottery player to switch up his routine. Recently, several Maryland residents have scored windfalls after trying new approaches, McClatchy News reported.

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 March 15, 2024 at 2:17 PM with the headline "Memory of late sister makes man switch his Maryland lottery routine. It paid off."

Simone Jasper
The News & Observer
Simone Jasper is a service journalism reporter at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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