D.C. Man Scores $50K After Playing Lucky License Plate Numbers

Sometimes, luck just flashes right in front of you — literally.

John Murphy from Washington, D.C., was about to grab his usual lottery ticket when a license plate caught his attention. The plate began with the same digits as his cellphone number — 438. Taking it as a lucky sign, Murphy decided to play the full number, 43871, on a Pick 5 ticket for the Oct. 17 midday drawing.

That quick gut decision at a Brentwood liquor store turned out golden — Murphy walked away with a $50,000 win. “I was in shock,” he told Maryland Lottery officials.

Interestingly, he typically plays the D.C. Lottery, but his sister-in-law had recently nudged him to give Maryland a shot. “She told me, ‘You need to play in Maryland,’” Murphy said — and he’s definitely glad he listened.

A retired Metro worker who loves traveling with his wife, Murphy isn’t sure yet how he’ll spend the windfall, but one thing’s for sure — trusting his intuition paid off big time.