John Martin of The Maryland Lottery discusses his joy in watching the Home Run Riches contest play in conjunction with some legitimate Orioles Magic in May at Camden Yards as part of the 50th Anniversary celebration.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
lottery, 50th anniversary, 50th, winner, maryland crab, sports, week, baseball, win, people, tickets, orioles, homerun, story, give, talk, jackpots, june, baltimore, lucky penny
SPEAKERS
John Martin, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
W and S, G Towson, Baltimore and Baltimore positive we’re positively doing the Maryland crab cake tour taking it back out on the road. I have an extensive extensive menu of Delights for the summer. It’s all brought to you by our friends at the Maryland lottery. I’ll be giving away these instant lottery scratch offs, the 50th anniversary still very much in progress all summer long. We’re gonna be doing that in a variety places I’m gonna give you this is the first time I have read all the dates out because John Martin from the mayor lottery is going to be here at some point he’s going to come out like he did it cost us a couple of weeks ago. We’re going to be at Shannon’s pub and Hale Thorpe. We’re going to be at Pappas and Glenburnie. We’re going to be at spirits Weston Wilkins Avenue, right around the corner from the Maryland lottery headquarters. We’re also going to be at the Barstow restaurant Hollywood casino on the 28th of June, the 29th Ward fadeless at LAX in the market. I think it’s gonna be the last time at the old market, the Beaumont and Catonsville in July, and then we are kicking off our 25th anniversary on August 3, we’re going to be doing an all day or at Costas on that Thursday. And then on Friday, August the fourth kicking off the oyster tour at drugs city in Dundalk. John Martin joins us after a long respite, man, you when I left you the home run Rich’s thing wasn’t going to happen until June. We were like getting into the 50th in the guardians were like a contender. The last time I talked to you Gen. Boy,
John Martin 01:18
that was a long time ago, wasn’t it? Yeah, I
Nestor Aparicio 01:20
guess it was how were you was your main you’ve been doing things and swirling. Things happen. What’s happened in
John Martin 01:27
May is practically over. Right? I mean, by the time many people listen to this, we’ll be we’ll be into June and and wherever a great time. Like I like to say more fun than any one person should be allowed to have. That’s what we do here. Nestor, we have fun at Maryland lottery gaming, and hopefully our players have some fun along the way. But yeah, lots to talk about today. We’ve got jackpots, we got products we got second chance prizes. We have winners. We have sports wagering we, how are we going to fit this all into just one brief show.
Nestor Aparicio 01:57
I’m going to start this from the top and I’m just going to ask you in all sincerity, you’re everyone in your organization. And you’ve been running the organization for a couple years put a lot into this 50th anniversary. And in so many ways, whether it was the artwork and all the fun things that I’ve had and the stature part of it and all of that, from your seat. And I know I’ve asked you the bigger question about this with in your time with me, we’ve rolled out sports wagering, mobile wagering casino, like all that’s happened in two years. But this 50th anniversary, this was a true lottery thing had not a lot to do with any of the rest of that, to put this together. Last week on Wednesday, the 24th of May was literally the 50th anniversary gave away all this money from your seat. How’s it going? The 50th anniversary?
John Martin 02:42
A lot of people as you’ve correctly identified, a lot of people have spent a lot of hours over the last 1218 months. You know, at some point, I don’t know if 50 years ago, in May of 1973 if they thought there’d be a 50th anniversary. But eventually once things got rolling, and probably somewhere along the I don’t know 10th 15th 20th anniversary, they probably said you know what? This is going to stick. So I mean, we’re the worst kept secret is there was gonna be a 50th anniversary. I just happened to be the guy sitting in this chair. And I got a new chair today.
Nestor Aparicio 03:13
How’s it look? It looks good. I mean, office whole thing. It doesn’t look fully put together. I know we’re gonna go back to cleaning at some point. But yeah, like
John Martin 03:21
me not fully put together. But yeah, absolutely. I mean, you know, there’s gonna be a 50th it was important to me that it was not just a, you know, pop the champagne cork and turn the page. And so we’ve engaged our own employees starting in January of this year, making them fully aware and helping them participate. A series of new product launches both on the scratch off side and draw game side, some truly incredible promotions. The payoff yet to come with our potential cash bash anniversary in September, we’re one lucky person could win up to $5 million at a live event. So all this stuff takes hours and hours of planning. It’s a lot of X’s and O’s. It’s a lot of stops and starts. But I’m very could not be more pleased and proud of our team for all the things that they’ve done so far, and will continue to do yet this year.
Nestor Aparicio 04:12
I’m doing my 25th of wn S T on August 3. And I mean, I’ve got all the old newspaper clips, the guy who was running BHEL said that we had a you know, we wouldn’t make it we bigger because we didn’t have sports team. So it’s like a lot of fun when you look back and say all the stuff that we’ve done for 50 years and all the archives and going through stuff. What’s been the most fun for you. I mean, of all of it seeing stuff I had settled on last week, and I was asking him about the machines and the tickets. He said that a woman came forward that literally had tickets from the first ever drawing on May 24 1973. And I’m thinking that’s probably something you didn’t think you would that would would unearth itself and I had people reach out to me on March 25 with old T shirts and things I gave them a long time. I’m ago i I’ve been inspired by watching your 50 think what’s out there about 25 years of me that I don’t know about that has any other weird stuff come forward over 50 years that other than the actual ticket from the first night, which I’m sure you thought, let us gold nose hills, right.
John Martin 05:16
You know, this is like opening up the time capsule that was that was buried 50 years ago and seeing what goodies are in store. You’re right. I mean, it’s far and away. It’s connections with people people you’d never even knew about and thought weren’t even they’re coming forward. You know, Alice green with the with the tickets in in perfect condition. Like if they were printed yesterday that she has kept for now. 50 years.
Nestor Aparicio 05:44
Barbara scrapbooked it right. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
John Martin 05:48
And then Barbara Phelps Anderson, our homegrown riches, winner of the $50,000 Ryan mountcastle blast that that she went and finding out that she wasn’t just a random player who happened to fall into it, that she is a lifelong diehard Orioles fan, and was well aware of the promotion and, and knew the date and knew it as anticipated. And then to have that game, sitting at 48 before the first pitch and then having to invite her out
Nestor Aparicio 06:15
for crabcake. Can I do though she’s a hoot, you have been good. I really would love to have a crab cake with her. Because you and I speculated when you told me about the contest. And we sort of thought it would be June. And I’m thinking when she had her name drawn. She was really a long shot. They had to they had a lot of homeruns happen.
John Martin 06:36
Because the team’s just been really good this year. And that makes Barbara even it makes us all happier that the team’s good trust me. Well, absolutely. And yeah, that day she was sitting at 48 before the first pitch so they had hit two home runs that day. And when the first one was hit early on, it was the second inning I believe it’s when the first one was hit to put them at 49 Then I mean talk about the hand wringing right every at bat after that. It’s just a great story and
Nestor Aparicio 07:04
sitting there watching them. It makes me it gives me a little tickle thinking about it right like if you do
8John Martin 07:10
well then I’ll put in perspective for you 50th Home run on May 16. This year for the O’s my beloved Cleveland guardians are on pace to hit their 50th Home run sometimes after the all star break. You’re not making that up. I am not making that up. They are dead last in Major League Baseball and probably dead last in AAA if you if you add a log they are sitting at 30
Nestor Aparicio 07:35
That’s why he didn’t go to the game this week. John that no that is John Martin is here. He is the director of all things Maryland lottery and the gaming side all right after the 50th if you want to come if you want to come get some free lottery tickets, come see me I’ve been giving them away. And all the above locations. We’re doing the Maryland crab cake Tour presented by the Maryland lottery conjunction with our friends at WIN donation even where the funny hat from time to time we’re doing the oyster tour and all that. All right. Sports wagering, you said you had some news. Let’s start with that. We’re gonna go through the whole gamut. I know we had a big jackpot winner of a million bucks this week as well. Sports wagering where are we I mean, it’s involved in everything I see. Now like we watch Oriole games, Ben McDonald’s has given things in the fourth inning and the third inning. It’s here it’s real. And we remind everyone to play responsibly. But I know you have some news coming out of this and we’re gonna be making news every month because it’s so brand new.
John Martin 08:24
It there’s news always in on the sports wagering front maybe not as earth shattering as some of the initial launches. But right now today going into June, we have 10 retail sports books, and nine mobile sportsbooks. So a total of 19 We still have about another 10 or 12 in the pipeline. And then about another five six outside of that that are still need to be qualified. So when you look at the continuum, and it is a continuum each month now we could be adding another mobile wagering location or another retail location. But I don’t think the activity will really pick up again until the end of the summer and September when the NFL season starts and college football starts and we’re really looking at now the the activity the calendar kind of rising up to the level of expectation. So you know, I would think again by the end of this calendar year at the end of 2023, we could be somewhere in the 30 to 35 range in terms of numbers of sports books again today we’re at 19. So you know a lot is still going to happen over the next six seven months as we as we read off the calendar you’re all looking forward to even more great things to come.
Nestor Aparicio 09:37
I know you got great things going on Homer riches is still going on by the way so I want to make point that out. Yes. things going on with the State Fair later in the summer. There’s all sorts of festivals i i missed the the Bruins zoo last week, he threw everything on a holiday weekend, but you guys try you’re out doing a whole bunch of stuff. big jackpot winner this week. And you know, I give these things away. I was at fallston and you know, I had a winner. I had $10 winner had a $20 winner, but I know there’s a $10,000 prize in here. And every time I give one of these away, I think if I do this long enough, someone’s gonna stand up when a grant or take like, really a lot of money, and but it’s a different thing when you scratch and win a million bucks. Right?
John Martin 10:18
Well, I’ll tell you why it was a different thing for the young lady. Let me let me go to my cheat sheet here. That’s breaking news. Breaking news in Hagerstown, a woman known as the happy dog groomer. And ready I like already, you can go to MD lottery.com For the for the full story. But here’s that here’s a young lady who was a professed lottery player was actually on her way to cash in $100 winning ticket that always feels good, right? $100 always feels good when she came upon a penny on the ground, a penny with head up, ape, steer and enter
Nestor Aparicio 10:59
that you pick that one up. I know.
John Martin 11:01
That’s a penny right. And so she grabs lucky penny Don’t get ahead of me on the story here Nestor, but you know where it’s going to end. She tasted lucky penny with her cash was under $100 buys a cash is king one of our $30 tickets, takes it home starts to scratch with a quarter then realizes Wait a minute, wait a minute, I have my lucky penny. Use his lucky penny bada boom, Bada bing, $2 million winner. That’s not a million. That’s 2 million. That’s two of them. That’s 1 million. And then a second one. Right on top of game was that again. Cash is king, which is our $30 ticket. And the woman in Hagerstown is now going to be a very happy dog groomer. But you can see her about her story and Other Stories by going to MB lottery.com. Checking out our winners and and having lots of fun.
Nestor Aparicio 11:50
Well, the Corvette ads have been running and they’re fun. And we’ve talked about my wife wanting to 67 Corvette as she won the million dollar prize she do that the hot seven sevens also a 777 I should say, a fresh game yet a million dollar prize just up at fallston. Where did the show last week literally?
John Martin 12:05
Yeah, it could have been you? Well, yeah, I suppose it could have been. Well, my
Nestor Aparicio 12:11
wife. I mean, you know, I let her I always say I want separation. I mean, I do spokesperson work, whatever. But my wife when the jackpots get rolling, she’s all about making that thing happen. Are we going to talk any baseball in the segment? I mean, are you just not want to talk about the excitement of the Orioles? Because not just homerun riches, but I just want to you’re in business with the Orioles. I’m not in business with the orals but they are the business of what we do. Just a sports heartbeat. I mean, you’re famously Clevelander and we give you a hard time about LeBron and this and that and the browns and whether they’re gonna sign DeAndre Hopkins this week or not. But there’s something about this city that in the last couple of weeks that only baseball can provide. The weather hasn’t even gotten great yet. But there’s there’s a daily heartbeat. I’m having crabs that cost this on Sunday around the Orioles game they’re playing. They’re playing the Giants doing the interleague play thing I just have felt a different pep in my step. And I know you have a lot of loyal fans in your office as well. old schoolers that that work for the lottery that have been there forever. There’s something great about sports and this time of the year and baseball being good again and waking up every day and knowing what time they play and where they’re going to play.
John Martin 13:21
I absolutely and you know best we loved our relationship with the Orioles, our home enriches ticket, the shining jewel in that crowd and of course being able to promote it and our work with with all of the people up and down the O’s network. Yeah, it is a lot of fun. And there’s nothing like having a competitive team regardless of the sport. That just you as you said it adds to the heartbeat of the city and you know baseball is still baseball national pastime. It runs from now through hopefully well into October for rough for people here in Baltimore this year. And then you can’t help we get caught up in that and it is a fun and exciting thing when it happens and we enjoy the success and we glad we’re a part of it little part that we are but a part of it nonetheless. And you’re right that second $50,000 Home run Rich’s winter will be awarded at the end of the season. So this is not going to be tied to homeruns at all is Barbara Phelps Anderson’s prize from May 16 was we will pick a another contestant in the game for actually the 160/3 game if you will. And the
Nestor Aparicio 14:30
playoff game around here.
John Martin 14:34
We hope so but that will be a second $50,000 winner so stay tuned for that over the months ahead but people should continue to enter their their home and purchase tickets into the drawing and be eligible for that second $50,000 prize
Nestor Aparicio 14:46
you couldn’t be any more pleased with yourself and your lottery that that the winner was actually this huge Oreo fan who’s a cool person and having a great time with it. i It was fun watching her win and I I do want to get a crab cake with her and hear her whole story. Compare notes. As I always say my last name is Aparicio baseball’s bill you know, fix into my name whether I want it to be or not, you know that
John Martin 15:07
you when you do when you do second chance contests like this, you always kind of you know, shudder a little bit because you want you want to want to have a good winner, right? You want to have someone who really is enthusiastic, doing it for the right reasons and and that we are fortunate to have that here and, and we look forward to more winning experiences for our players in the months ahead.
Nestor Aparicio 15:28
People really when it’s just like MTV was back 40 years ago, John Martin is the director of all things Maryland lottery and gaming. He has been on a little respite to win business last couple weeks. Good to have you back. I know we’re gonna we’re gonna work on the office and get the whole set together and stuff, but I want to get you out. I’m gonna be doing a show all summer long. Gonna be right around the corner from you guys gotta get Ross and Doug and the rest of you out. We’re also gonna get some seven seven sevens to give away. 50th anniversary the lottery in progress and the homerun riches competition still there each and every night for Orioles baseball Did I cover all the bases that I get that right?
John Martin 16:00
I like Virginia cover all the bases talking about Homer riches coming out of that? Yeah, I think we’re in good shape. We are looking forward to it. And we will be talking to you again next week. I may have some other activities coming up in June that will take me away from from spending time with you but we have a we have a deep bench.
Nestor Aparicio 16:18
I won’t be lonely. I won’t be lonely. I’ve been telling Seth, man, come back. Come get your medicine off that pirates weekend. Because once you speak the pirates for the weekend that was all sending back when the Steelers come to task what we need to do so. Nothing better than regional sports. We got a whole triangle Bermuda triangle here Baltimore, Cleveland Pittsburgh thing going on. Hey, I appreciate you. We’ll see you next week. Thanks Nestor take care John Martin from the Maryland lottery. He appears each and every week around here when he doesn’t send Seth or Doug around. Make sure you’re getting out and playing responsibly and all the things you’re doing and if you want to play and have a good time with me, come on out of the Maryland crab cake tour. I have some instant lottery scratch offs. I had a lucky batch this time I’m pretty sure that up at the local had a beer with fancy Clancy Haskett last week on the Maryland crab cake tour also at Chez Ellyn beyond talking about safe harbors, traveling our first ever trip to Fort Lauderdale back in the 1990s with Orioles baseball as well as the chef of the Year from the restaurant association in Maryland. Check all that out out at Baltimore positive.com Stay with us
