The Executive Director of The Maryland John Martin of Maryland Lottery joins Nestor to discuss the start of the baseball season and the new bonus fun of the Home Run Riches Grand Slam for Orioles Opening Day and what happens when the bases are loaded.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
lottery, pac man, maryland, game, homerun, bridge, gaming, talked, day, fun, win, baltimore, john, april, jackpot, opening, ticket, week, years, feels
SPEAKERS
John Martin, Nestor J. Aparicio
Nestor J. Aparicio 00:02
We are wn St. am 1570, Towson, Baltimore and Baltimore positive I am remaining steadfastly Baltimore positive in the aftermath of the Key Bridge tragedy and where my Costa shirt probably it’s gonna be wearing this like the next month. No disrespect to any of my other sponsors. You know I love you Coco’s and Pappus and fade these and I’ll be down to fade these on Fridays, and we’re doing the Maryland crab cake Tour presented by the Maryland lottery. How’s it 10 times the cash you can have some Pac Man to the giveaway but already got the date set on April the ninth. It’s next Tuesday, the Red Sox are playing the Orioles a two I’m going to be at cost this in the morning, I’m probably going to be putting something a little more extensive together than even I’m leading on because of the situation with the bridge and transportation in and out of places like cost this that need you on the peninsula. And I’ll be talking so much about my hometown about Dundalk. I’m gonna try not to cry. I’ve already failed once. We’ll see how we deal with this when John Martin is here. He is the Executive Director of the Maryland lottery and gaming and we’ll talk lottery and gaming and even though March is coming to an end, we’re gonna remind everybody baseball is coming to a beginning. So please slow the roll do this responsibly. We’ve seen gambling and baseball in the news this week. We’ve seen gambling in basketball and news this week. And we’ve also seen a tragedy here locally that I just I don’t know, man, we usually get together talk about lottery and things. And there was a big jackpot winner in New Jersey and we’ll talk about that. But John, you know, for our community, and I you know, I woke up in an Orlando hotel room at Disney World. I have to the NFL owners because I was out really late, got up saw the phone 545 In the morning, I found it. And I wasn’t here. I flew into BWI Tuesday, I did not we flew from the west. So I did not really I haven’t physically laid eyes on it. But I know, you know, from Dundalk. And I bet you didn’t know that. From my bedroom window, I could see the Key Bridge from my first two homes, my first two homes, you could see the Key Bridge from my window. And then my third home downtown. I lived downtown in the sky for 19 years and could never see the key brakes. The Key Bridge is the only view that we did not have we had most of the sky. But we did not have the Key Bridge in our view. And first off, welcome. I know we had a big winner. And it just this has been it’s such a strange week Peter Angelo State I began opening day. I mean, this is one of the eternal weeks in Baltimore history. It’s been a I’m still trying to sort of get my equilibrium about me.
John Martin 02:34
Well, that’s understandable. Nestor, welcome home. First of all, it is you know, I addressed our team a little bit. Yesterday morning, as we speak, it was yesterday morning. And, you know, even though I’m not from Baltimore, that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the severity and the and the loneliness and the pain and certainly the tragic, tragic loss of life. You know, as you get older, you tend to mark your fear your lifetime by you know, wherewith I win, there’s no doubt about it. And you know, while I was sleeping, most everyone was sleeping. And so to wake up with that sadness. My wife who is Cleveland through and through was listening to a Cleveland radio station as she got ready for work on on in the morning, and came in as I was eating breakfast. She said, I just heard on the Cleveland radio that the key bridge collapsed. And of course, I’m still on morning fog. It’s like, wait, wait, you were listening to Cleveland radio, and you heard about the Key Bridge. So obviously, I was on my phone at that point and getting updates. Truly, truly tragic. My heart goes out to everyone affected by the tragedy. I think when the amazing stories and more we told his days go by is the amazingly quick response of first responders to stop traffic on the bridge. I mean, it’s the fact that within 30 seconds, like it was amazing that I mean, there weren’t cars left bridge. Yeah, we would have all thought cars would have gone off, left and right and to somehow get on both sides of that bridge in seconds, and stop the traffic from what would have been even more horrific. is truly amazing as to how something like that happened.
Nestor J. Aparicio 04:23
Well, we got opening day here. We have homerun riches. We’re going to talk some lottery stuff I guess first things first. Jackpot, jackpot jackpot. I’m down in Florida. And I you know, I drove I mean, I think I put six 700 miles on the car in a week because I mean, I went Sarasota Fort Myers back there to Tampa, Clearwater, they were like you know, and you should just been everywhere I went there are billboards for Mega Millions Powerball. It was like being here I 1.2 billion, you know, the jersey and the jackpot part of this for the industry for you. This is just what we think of the lottery. It’s nice to win money and people went 20 bucks when I do this sometimes you want 100 bucks. Sometimes you want a million dollars, and we’ve talked about, but these huge, huge jackpots. It’s a national thing. You know, I see that I felt it in Florida from being down there, that and even just driving on the highway, I’m Sarasota, look up and see the billboard and I’m like, oh, yeah, that’s why, like, John doesn’t get the call to in the morning, say we won and the Jersey governor has the jersey lottery person asked to go in and get involved and all that. But it really is. It’s a big deal around the whole country when the jackpots get crazy like that. It
John Martin 05:33
is a big deal. And you’re right, it happens all over the country. And you know, you may not have known this Nestor, but lottery players are superstitious lot. And that means lottery employees are superstitious as well whether they admit it or not. So on Monday, we had our $2.1 million little multi match jackpot, one by somebody in Harford County, who was a Cline’s up there and got a winning tickets. That was Monday’s and $2 million. Multi match is a big deal in the state. So Tuesday, we have the $1.13 billion megamillions jackpot, one. And now we’re sitting here as we speak, waiting for the third, the trifecta the Powerball jackpot, which today as we again, are recording this as $865 million.
Nestor J. Aparicio 06:22
It’s only really a billion. Yeah, it’s playing till it’s a billion. You know how I am right.
John Martin 06:27
But But as luck would have it, sometimes these things go bam, bam, bam, back to back to back. And that would really take the air out of the balloon in a hurry. So, you know, we’re hopeful that the people in New Jersey when they come forward, and certainly should take their time to do that. Have a nice little story to tell about it.
Nestor J. Aparicio 06:45
Oh, it’s not Springsteen that hit it, you know, or Bon Jovi, one of those times you didn’t need an adapter. So you don’t need the money. Yeah, I mean, let’s let’s, let’s let somebody
John Martin 06:52
know what if it was one of them? They would, I’m sure share it with everyone, it would go to good causes. I’m confident of that. Well,
Nestor J. Aparicio 06:59
you know what, last week, Doug brought on TJ Humphries. I don’t know if you caught that piece or not. But this is, you know, you bragged about the Ravens thing. And the Ravens is by all of your admission, the most played second chance. It’s the one everybody wants to get on the plane. It’s, you know, if you can play it 10 times ticket or ravens, like, if you’re a raving fan, you’re like, Well, I play that when I might be able to get on the plane and have row Quan Smith, certainly cheesecake or something like that. But that used to be called tickets for life. So I got the name of the promotion wrong well, but tickets for 20 years is what it is, it feels like life. But I had him on what an unbelievable story. I mean, there are real people behind everything right. But then you get the story from him about his family and the work that he does in recovery. It was just a really, it was a such a it was a Baltimore positive story that the Maryland Laude provided, and the Ravens went out and realizing that that’s the way it was gonna turn out. Sometimes
John Martin 07:51
it just happens like that. And we’re thrilled for him and his family to be able to enjoy that. And as a young daughter who can, who now will have memories over the next 20 years as well. So we we wish them well. It is a feel good story. And we have people every day who who come to our door with with their their stories and you can check them all at MD lottery.com. But you also have a lot of a lot of promotions, a lot of things like you mentioned the the tickets for 20 years, but we have some fun ones going on now. Some fun promotions. You know, you talked about Pac Man, how about that?
Nestor J. Aparicio 08:26
Miss Pac Man last month for the first time in a long time, and I needed a better joystick. The joystick got me got the cherries to beat me up a couple times or the little guys that bite you. But I’ve always loved Pac Man. So I am full on Roz, if you’re listening I’m coming for you before April 9 When I get over to cost a handful of these left from my cup Super Bowl last month but I’m looking forward to get the Pac Man promotion going around here I’m fat people
John Martin 08:52
once once they make a purchase and if it happens to be a non winning scratch off ticket, you can enter your non winning Pac Man scratch off ticket to your My lottery rewards account. And you may be able to win at the end of the run here later this spring. Your own Pac Man home arcade machine has sold one of these yesterday.
Nestor J. Aparicio 09:14
Let me tell you this because I you know where I was on on? Well, when the tragedy happened. I was in a hotel room in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, so I literally had screaming kids above me below me beside me. But when I went downstairs to the lobby for the free breakfast that’s usually orange juice and some oatmeal for me are some raisin bran and there’s kids everywhere. Man he’s Marriott people they know what they’re doing. They had a whole arcade that led into the breakfast room. And it was it was bigger and better than even like, like a David Bossert every one of the machines was the super machine. They didn’t have the little Pac Man thing. You know, they had the one you could like see Did you know what I mean? All of these saying they’re all making noise and they’re all full of colors. And mom and dad are just trying to get you in there and get some cereal in you for breakfast. But it was a full on arcade. So when you say full on arcade Pac Man, I witnessed this on Wednesday, and I was more of a Donkey Kong guy toward the end and burger time I had a burger time machine in my home. But I’d love to win a Pac Man. Just come and Miss Pac Man or just Pac Man, just the original. Well,
John Martin 10:25
no, this is just Pac Man. Okay, I won’t tease you know, right now this is this current promotion wink wink. Who’s to say what future years and opportunities
Nestor J. Aparicio 10:34
you’re saying? Maybe there’ll be a Mrs. Powell sorry.
10:37
I don’t think I can hear you.
Nestor J. Aparicio 10:39
You’ve lost. John Martin is here he is. He’s not gonna give anything away. But he’s gonna give. He’s gonna get the farm away. He’s gonna give you $865 million for the Maryland lottery and he played the Powerball megamillions gets hit. Home run riches. I have Camden Yards behind me. We have discussed all sorts of things. When I was in Sarasota, watch a baseball. I went down to Fort Myers. I saw the Red Sox do it down there. Baseball season and homerun riches. You guys are very involved in this. And right away, there is a Grand Slam bonus. And it’s like at Denny’s breakfast thing.
John Martin 11:13
Bam, bam, we are ready to America. We have already drawn lucky contestants of the games for games from opening day through the end of April. And if you’re within the sound of my voice and you happen to be Loreena Gibson of Middle River, Maryland, you are opening day contestant of the game, which means you’ve already won $500. And for every home, run the Orioles hit in that game, you will win an additional $500. And if one of those homeruns should be a Grand Slam, you’ll win $5,000 So that opening
Nestor J. Aparicio 11:49
series when there’s two grand slams, I want to be ambitious. I mean, we’re going to hit the ball this year. Okay, yeah, there’s two grand slams in the same game. Let’s it’s possible.
John Martin 12:01
Well, sure it’s possible. It’s possible and Loreena Gibson, Middle River would love that. But you know what, Robert Markiewicz also of Middle River. How ironic is that? middle room of the Orioles. I know that and is game number two. And then Theresa Coleman from Mount Airy will be contested in the game number three, so you can go to MD lottery.com. You can check out all the details about the homerun riches contest this year could also check out the growing progressive jackpot on the $5 ticket itself right now, as again, we speak over $61,000 top prize. And that will increment to until let’s hit and then it will be reset to $40,000 and grow again. But yeah, that’s a lot of fun. People can enjoy the homeruns throughout the season. John
Nestor J. Aparicio 12:51
Martin is here He is the executive director of all things Maryland lottery and gaming, I have to ask you this as a brand sponsor partner guest all that the Otani situation. And we talked so much about gambling and awareness and your budget and all of that. It’s obviously it’s been a scandal here this week. But I think it’s a reminder for everybody that slow in the roll, we’re still in March and all this and as baseball starts for people, the ads are gonna start coming at you again that this be responsible about this. And I know that you lead this role, because this time two years ago, you really couldn’t bet pitch to pitch on the Orioles game on opening day and everybody’s into the Orioles and an optimistic and you think they’re gonna hit a homerun on every pitch and I get all of that. I just want to give you a little bit oxygen on that because we spent March talking about it. But it’s a 12 month issue. And obviously even the NBA got in on it this week, that we’re all trying to navigate a new place here, including the fact that this is available at you’re ready and to be responsible with it. You
John Martin 13:59
know, i None of us know all the details yet. And I think some of us fear the worst, we hope for the best, but we fear the worst. And when you hear stories like this, at least when I do you My mind goes in different directions. And first and foremost. And it’s really it’s not an indictment on on sport and socio economics in today’s America. But I guess it can be. I mean, you’ve got young men primarily, it’s not to say women are immune from that. But every time you hear a story, it seems to be a male sports figure who are in their 20s who have more money than they can even count and for whatever reason whether it’s personal or if we are to believe the Otani story of the day. People taking advantage of these athletes. That’s really a problem and yes, it’s it’s manifested in sports where During, but boy there, there are much more deeper, deeper issues than we thought Pete
Nestor J. Aparicio 15:05
Rose for 40 years that there was a sign on the wall and he couldn’t help himself. Right? Like literally Michael Jordan was famously love to gamble, couldn’t couldn’t play around the golf, you know, like that there is called a disease, right? Like literally, well, behavior really is right. You
John Martin 15:24
have to acknowledge and I think using words like disease and addiction, and my friends in the behavioral sciences, industry will will support that. I mean, you have to call it what it is. And you can you know,
Nestor J. Aparicio 15:40
anybody rich poor, you know, Tokyo, New York, Baltimore, wherever, right? Yeah,
John Martin 15:45
absolutely. Which is all the more reason when we talk about it. Like you said, not only one month, a year, but every month of the year, every day of the week. Again, MD lottery.com, we have a lot of information about Responsible Gambling and playing last time you and I talked, we talked about nd gambling help.org and all the resources available. Please understand the risks involved with whatever option of gaming you choose. And that’s you know, whether you’re playing bingo at a hall or or playing lottery or involved with March Madness. Whatever your your entertainment options are, just understand the risks involved. Have a budget, stick with it. Don’t chase losses, make sure you’re enjoying it for the opportunity to be entertained and have fun with it. But don’t get so so caught up in it that it drags you down into some areas that that you’re there that are difficult to get on. Yeah,
Nestor J. Aparicio 16:44
it wouldn’t shock you that I am on Friday night, Luke and I after the the Oriole game got rained out, we went to a sports bar it really big beautiful sports bar down in Sarasota. Lots people lots activities, beer, this all that. And everybody around me was watching games that they were wagering on. I mean, I was looking at everybody, you know, everybody’s on their phone, and this and that. And I got this. And you got that. And there is a spirit about March Madness from brackets that sort of began that. And I you know, I, I, everyone’s having fun with it. I could tell that. But I also could tell they’ve been doing it all day, to some degree, you know, or all weekend or the tournament wasn’t the only game they were betting on tonight. So I just hope that people aren’t chasing losses and doing crazy things that because there is a level of engagement that quite frankly, Gianna, and I said this to Luke, we’re having some chicken tenders and having a beer and I said, it feels like I’m going to casino because the TVs are big. It just reminded me of being in Vegas, it just had this vibe about it like, oh, the casinos wherever you are right now. And that that can be a little dangerous. And I just want to make sure we point that out because it’s fun, too. It really is.
John Martin 17:51
Well Florida, as you probably know, or if not maybe somebody there shared with you. They recently got back in to the the mobile sports wagering market, you know, they originally had signed a deal the governor signed a compact with the, with Seminole Indians on there who really operate gaming in the state of Florida. And then there were some challenges to that. And it was put on the shelf, after I believe they had a two or three week run back and I think it might have been late 2021, even or 2022. But they just recently came back in after the appeals have kind of gone by the board here. But yeah, you’re right. You can be in any situation like that. And just look around. And it’s, you know, it’s different. Because when you see someone who has a, a problem with with, with alcohol or with with drugs, I mean, they’re visible signs that their addictions, they’re gaming, you don’t see that people people tend to, to mask that a little differently. And it’s a very, very painful process they’re going through and it’s also painful for the families. And so we make sure that whether they’re calling one 800 gambler, or going to MD gambling help.org, that it’s also open and available for families and loved ones to get the assistance that they feel they need as well. John Martin
Nestor J. Aparicio 19:19
is here He is the executive director of all things Maryland lottery and gaming. I want to ask you this because I you know, I do shoot questions all the time. You mentioned Florida and other states. In the states where mobile wagering is available isn’t always regulated by the lottery in every state or most states are their separate Commission’s because, you know, I knew you before you were in gaming 567 years ago. I guess our legislature pushed it toward Well, we already have the lottery already play games. We’re already seeking revenue. We already have a director that it falls under your jurisdiction in other places. Is it always lottery or is it a little bit of a mixed bag because I really don’t know.
John Martin 19:57
It is a mixed bag and law. A lot of it is born on as you correctly identified where their their history is where their legacy is, you know, Maryland lottery started in 1973 the end gaming part was really added in I want to say as 2010 Maybe when the casinos were regulated or were authorized and came under the regulation, the oversight of Maryland lottery at that time which is where Maryland lottery and gaming came from and then of course sports where drew made sense but
Nestor J. Aparicio 20:25
we didn’t have casinos here which feels like wow, right? Like we used to have to go to Vegas Atlantic City that was that no like yeah, okay 15 years we’ve done this okay.
John Martin 20:34
Right. But Pennsylvania New Jersey they have separate lottery Commission’s who only manage the lottery products, and then separate gaming control agencies, boards, whatever they call them. They’re called different things that they’re two different
Nestor J. Aparicio 20:48
John Martin’s though, like in different states. Well,
20:51
come on.
Nestor J. Aparicio 20:51
I understand. I understand.
John Martin 20:55
But right right, you know, Ohio as same thing, two separate organizations, Virginia one so again, depending on where you’re at, it will determine what the what the the oversight responsibilities are and what the governance requirements are.
Nestor J. Aparicio 21:11
John Martin is here he does all things miracle lottery and gaming. We’ve talked some some gaming some responsibility. We’ve talked about Key Bridge, we’re going to be talking about that for a long, long, long time. What else is going on for springtime here i i know you guys will be down at Camden Yards right from time to time, not every game but a lot of games. And also getting out to festivals to different things. I mean, tell you this 70 degrees this weekend, I mean, a little chilly on opening day and we got some weather issues, but it’s gonna get nicer and getting out and doing things is is is really what you do. And it’s it’s what we all do, especially after the plague. And after. Was it the longest coldest winter but it will you know, it will chilly and it’s nice to have some nice weather I had five days of in Florida. Trust me, John.
John Martin 21:52
Well, I’m glad you weren’t up. I’ll be there next month. So I’m actually making a
Nestor J. Aparicio 21:56
lot of I left some some sandwiches.
John Martin 21:59
Thank you. Thank you. But you’re right April, typically opens up our event calendar and with the opening day festivities on March 28. Of course we’ll be there. But also coming up some teasers we’ll talk about through the through the next several weeks. I think we’ve talked about this before the 10th annual Maryland chicken wing festival.
Nestor J. Aparicio 22:21
I talked about it chicken wing fest. I thought you were gonna say the home and garden show what chicken wing festival What is this? Well,
John Martin 22:27
April 6, we will be there from 11am to 7pm it will be at the ANA Rondo County Fairgrounds there in beautiful crownsville Maryland. You know the usual music, chicken wings beverages? Yeah, we’re just fun fun engaging things for for people to stop by and of course you can spin the wheel, our price wheel and and have some fun with that. Also in about every week, you know now and for the next several months what we’ll have things going on the following week on Friday, I’m sorry, on April 14, the 13th annual Red Shoe shuffle 5k run and walk and that’s something we’ve had an example or have been been a part of for the last several years of benefits the Ronald McDonald House and we’re proud to be part of that as a fundraising. Oh, red
Nestor J. Aparicio 23:19
shoes.
John Martin 23:20
Yes, Donald. Get it The Red Shoes tie in right there. You
Nestor J. Aparicio 23:25
know there was a song by a local band here called red shoes. She had red shoes I couldn’t believe so I thought it might have had a music ban so it’s around with all that beautiful work the Ronald McDonald people do anything else in April
John Martin 23:38
April 20 21st the safer buoy spring Food Wine and music festival because people in buoy they like their food their wine and their music and that will be at the buoy town center so stop identities things or are you know check out MD lottery.com For we’re going to be spin the wheel have some fun and get out and enjoy Maryland in the springtime
Nestor J. Aparicio 24:04
we’re gonna be doing the Maryland crab cake tour throughout the spring and lots of different places we’re really starting this cost this and I want to give public service to everyone I haven’t cried on the air yet but it’s going to happen to me. I haven’t seen the disaster yet but it’s going to happen. cost the same we’re going to be there on April the ninth from like all day really we’re gonna be doing podcasts to Baltimore positive in the morning but the Orioles play the Red Sox at 2pm and I’m hoping for a healthy gathering at the bar space for an afternoon game for Fenway Park with the Orioles we’ll be giving away scratch I hope to have some PAC man’s but I will definitely have some 10 times the cash because I have some of these left. And then we’re going to be fadeless beginning on the 12th and every Friday prior to Oreo games we’ll be there live. You ain’t live no more nasty. Two to five. I’ll be live every Friday fade Lee’s Friday’s live when the Orioles are home for two of the five and Luke will be with me as well. because he didn’t spend enough time with me last week, John I I appreciate everything and hold down the fort here and I know you know from everybody the lottery and everything that happened to the Key Bridge, I’m wearing the cost of stuff because it’s so important. Ray Bachman, my executive producer is a part of my documentary it’s coming out next month. He lives in Pasadena and when I say to him, Hey Ray, why should we be cautious for cracking we literally did this two weeks ago put a picture up and everything had some crab soup and got him some mushroom caps. And he says oh, I love coming to meet you. Casa come across the bridge takes me five minutes. Want to let everybody know it might take you 15 or 20 minutes to get there. And Alba please support Sparrows Point support our friends in Dundalk support anyone that you were taking the bridge to get over make another 15 minutes go through the tunnel. Get around for the next however long it takes and support our friends in our businesses that need you that now feel John, I’m from that area man forever my whole life. It feels a little claustrophobic without the bridge. You know, it always felt like you could you could get across the bridge and I want to let everybody know all those businesses Edgemere for our everywhere down in the peninsula Sparrows Point Dundalk, now Water’s Edge church station, all of them, have businesses come support them. We appreciate that. Absolutely.
John Martin 26:16
And many great lottery retailers along the way, too. So let’s
Nestor J. Aparicio 26:20
get some winners in Edge mirrored spares points that have been really nice. All right. How about Richards is alive and well. We remind everybody please do all this stuff and have fun with it. It’s baseball season. If you want to bet a buck on somebody hitting a homerun do it just don’t do it a million times. Please have fun with it, win some money, have some fun, drink some beer, help the beers cold all that good stuff. And do it all responsibly. Hope to see everybody out at some point on the Maryland crab cake tour. John, I will see you next week. And as a public service, if any of you haven’t heard the piece I did with TJ Humphries, who was the Ravens 20 year ticket winner. Unbelievable. It belonged in cup of Super Bowl week and I invited him I said you will you want something else. I said you want the chance to come back next year during couple of Super Bowl week I’m gonna have him on to promote his organization and the great work he’s doing in helping people and addicts in recovery. So congrats to TJ hope he has a great time at the Ravens perfect ending for this segment. John have a beautiful week when I see you the Orioles will be in first place next week. All right. Absolutely. Look forward to it. Thank you. All right, John Martin, Executive Director of all things Maryland lottery and gaming. I am Nestor we are wn st am 1570, Towson Baltimore and we never stop talking Baltimore positive
