Maryland woman's love for the number 9 wins her $30,030

Oct. 3 (UPI) -- A Maryland woman's affection for the number nine paid off in a big way when she scored a $30,030 Keno prize from the Maryland Lottery.

Pamela Wendland, 63, of Edgewater, told Maryland Lottery officials she was with her daughter at The Jetty Restaurant and Dock Bar in Wendland when she decided to play a few rounds of Keno.

"I play Keno three or four times a week and I always play the 9s," Wendland said. She said her first multiple-draw ticket was a bust. "There were 9s there, just not enough."

Wendland said she watched the next few draws and a pattern emerged.

"There were no 9s for several games in a row," she said. "I figured 9s were due so I bought one more 8-spot ticket."

The player's ticket, bearing numbers 9-19-29-39-49-59-69-79, turned out to be a good choice.

"The 9s kept coming and coming," she said. "I counted seven, which, with the 3X bonus, meant a $1,500 win. Then, I saw that there was one more 9 among the winning numbers. $30,000!"

Wendland, who won $30 from another draw, said she plans to share her winnings with family members and pay for an extravagant 20th wedding anniversary celebration.