John Martin of Maryland Lottery tells Nestor about million dollar Powerball winner, the Ravens scratch-off rollout and some changes at the top of the organization.
John Martin, Executive Director of the Maryland Lottery, announced a $1 million Powerball winner from the Royal Farms in Odenton with the numbers 3036, 4042, and 57. Additionally, a $2.2 million winner from a $30 fast play game at an Exxon Station in Catonsville was highlighted. Martin also discussed the ongoing Ravens scratch-off promotion, which includes experiential prizes like preseason fan of the game and away trips on the team charter. Martin revealed his upcoming retirement, with Jeremy Baker set to take over as the new director. The conversation also touched on various winners from different locations and the importance of responsible gambling.
- [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Support Jeremy Baker’s onboarding and provide a seamless transition as successor to the Maryland Lottery director role through the end of the year.
Maryland Lottery Updates and Summer Events
- Nestor Aparicio introduces the show, mentioning upcoming events like the Maryland Crab Cake Tour and the Raven scratch-off promotion.
- Nestor highlights the involvement of sponsors like GBMC, Farnan, and Dermer in the Maryland Crab Cake Tour.
- Nestor mentions the Maryland Lottery’s involvement in various events and promotions, including the Raven scratch-off.
- Nestor sets the stage for John Martin, the executive director of the Maryland Lottery, to discuss recent updates and promotions.
Powerball and Mega Millions Jackpots
- John Martin announces that a $800 million Mega Millions jackpot was won in Florida, with details to be released once the winner comes forward.
- John Martin shares that a $1 million Powerball winner was found at the Royal Farms in Odenton, with the winning numbers being 3036, 4042, and 57.
- Nestor and John discuss the excitement of winning a million dollars and the importance of checking tickets.
- John mentions another big winner from Catonsville, who won $2.2 million on a $30 fast play game at an Exxon Station.
Second Chance Prizes and Responsible Gambling
- John Martin emphasizes the importance of understanding the games and second chance prizes available at the Maryland Lottery.
- Nestor shares his experience of educating people about second chance prizes during the Maryland Crab Cake Tour.
- John and Nestor discuss the excitement of winning tickets and the importance of playing responsibly.
- John highlights the Maryland Lottery’s commitment to responsible gambling and the various ways to win.
Ravens Scratch-Off Promotion
- John Martin introduces the Ravens scratch-off promotion, which includes second chance experiential prizes.
- John explains the different prizes available, including cash prizes and experiential prizes like preseason fan of the game and away trips on the team charter.
- Nestor and John discuss the excitement of the Ravens season and the various ways fans can win through the Maryland Lottery.
- John mentions the importance of checking the Maryland Lottery website for drawing dates and available prizes.
Orioles Home Run Riches Promotion
- John Martin discusses the Orioles Home Run Riches promotion, which includes a $5 fast play ticket with cash prizes and a progressive jackpot.
- John shares the story of a recent progressive jackpot winner from Essex, who won over $180,000.
- Nestor and John discuss the excitement of the promotion and the various ways fans can win through the Maryland Lottery.
- John mentions the importance of checking the Maryland Lottery website for updates on the promotion and available prizes.
Winners’ Stories and Locations
- John Martin shares the story of a Harford County woman who won $56,000 on a racetracks program at Mimi’s Liquor Station in Lusby.
- John discusses the popularity of self-service vending machines at grocery stores and the excitement of winning big.
- Nestor and John discuss the various locations where winners have claimed their prizes, including Lusby and Burtonsville.
- John shares the story of a Burtonsville woman who won $50,000 by purchasing a scratch-off ticket at a Giant supermarket.
John Martin’s Retirement and Successor
- John Martin announces his retirement at the end of the calendar year and the appointment of Jeremy Baker as his successor.
- John explains the planned transition and the importance of having a smooth and seamless transition.
- Nestor and John discuss the importance of having a successor with knowledge and experience in the legislative front.
- John highlights the importance of the planned transition and the benefits it brings to the Maryland Lottery.
Reflections on John Martin’s Tenure
- Nestor and John reflect on John’s tenure as the executive director of the Maryland Lottery and his contributions to the industry.
- John shares his experience of working in the Ohio Lottery and the various challenges and achievements during his time in Maryland.
- Nestor and John discuss the growth of the lottery industry and the importance of responsible gambling.
- John expresses his gratitude for the support and opportunities he has had during his time at the Maryland Lottery.
Final Thoughts and Future Plans
- Nestor and John discuss the future plans for the Maryland Lottery and the importance of continuing to provide exciting promotions and prizes.
- John shares his excitement for the upcoming transition and the opportunity to work with Jeffrey Baker.
- Nestor and John discuss the importance of responsible gambling and the various ways the Maryland Lottery supports the community.
- John expresses his gratitude for the support and opportunities he has had during his time at the Maryland Lottery and looks forward to the future.
Nestor Aparicio 0:01
Welcome home. We are WNST AM 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore positive, positively into the summer months of fun around here. If you see Luke, he’s working hard. Be nice to him. He’ll be joining us at Costasin this week. We’re doing the Maryland Crab Cake Tour back in Timonium. I have the Raven scratch all with my favorite. The Kiss Face Bird is my favorite. We all know this. Our friends at GBMC, as well as Farnan and Dermer, putting us out on the road. There are the Comfort guys. We will be at Koco’s on the 26th of next month, and I’m working out dates at State Fair and Fishmonger’s Daughter and a whole bunch of other places. We just repeated John’s last week. It was great, and we’re having some fun around here, in and around the Major League Baseball trading deadline, and sort of kicking off football, even though it’s six weeks away. But man, we got a lot of kickoffs going on with the Maryland Lottery right now. John Martin, executive director of all things Maryland Lottery and Gaming, joins us. You know, we didn’t hit the big one, as I guess as of Fred G. Sanford would say, but it was still a pretty nice little take here. We’ve had two gigantic jackpots for Mega Millions and and for Powerball, and in the middle of the night, breaking news. And I know how much you love to do the breaking news thing around here. We got a mega winner around. Give me a give me a little update here, John.
John Martin 1:18
Yes, we and we have to work on that breaking news sounder. I’m sorry, we we have to get that into your repertoire. But all I know is
Nestor Aparicio 1:25
the Wayne’s World. We have to do that one, but I can. That’ll
8
John Martin 1:28
work. We had earlier this week the Mega Millions jackpot of $800 million was won in Florida. Details will be available once someone comes comes forward on that. But last night it was the Powerball jackpot, which is now over $700 million. We had a $1 million Powerball winner last night. It was at the Royal Farms in Odenton. Good
Nestor Aparicio 1:52
chicken gas and a million dollars. Man, how about that? How about that? Good life. Good life in Anne Arundel County down there.
John Martin 1:58
So as as as you’re you’re you’re eating your chicken here this morning. If you said, “Hey, wait a minute, I was at Rofo yesterday, and you happen to have a Powerball ticket with the numbers 3036, 4042, and 57, and you can find those all on mdlottery.com, you have match five of five, which is what we call the second tier, which is a million-dollar winner. You unfortunately did not spend another buck and get the multiplier, which would have been times two, which would have made it a $2 million win. I will save my. Don’t rub it in. Don’t
Nestor Aparicio 2:31
rub it in. Yeah,
John Martin 2:32
when you come here and I hand you the big check, I’m going to say, hey, this could have been bigger, but that’s all right. But you say
Nestor Aparicio 2:37
when you hand him a check, now you can afford the Western fries. Add that on, man. There you
John Martin 2:43
go. So that you know what? One breaking news is is wonderful, right? Two breaking newses. Is that the plural? Breaking newses. No news is plural. I don’t know. We had also yesterday. Big. We were just sending money out the door yesterday. A Catonsville. player won $2.2 million. Let me say that again. Sometimes I stutter when I do this. $2.2 million when he/she don’t know played a $30 fast play game at the where were they playing it at? Exxon Station on Baltimore National Pike in Baltimore County, and they are the lucky recipients of a $2.2 million progressive jackpot on the $30 fast play Ultimate Payday game, which we launched a year ago last July, and it took a year. This was the first progressive hit. It started at $500,000 and incremented every time someone bought a ticket. Yesterday, bam, $2.2 million. Both the million dollar winner, the $2.2 million winner, hopefully are doing the right thing. They’re getting their affairs in order. They’re signing the back of that ticket. They’re securing that ticket. They’re making plans, getting their Sunday best on, and coming out here to meet me so I can shake their hand and congratulate them and offer them one of those big oversized checks, and we are more than thrilled that I give away that kind of money as long as people continue to remember to play responsibly.
8Nestor Aparicio 4:13
Well, I’ll tell you what I I’ve got my own tales of being acosta’s last week and having a fellow play racetrack next to me, and I told you I had my keno wife was trying to. I think sometimes the progressive part of this, people don’t even know what they’re in for. And I know, like we talked about multi match and all of these things. I think jackpot fever happens certainly in my household with my wife when she sees that right now, like Meg is down to 50, but Powerball’s over 700 million. That you look at it, but there’s just so many other ways to win, right?
John Martin 4:44
People need to get educated, and you know, first and foremost, there’s no substitution for that. I mean, you’re partying with your hard-earned money. Yes, it’s entertainment. Hopefully, you’re doing it with with discretionary funds, but understand the games you’re playing, and whether it’s for the the initial prize you see or are amazed. Second chance prizes. Make sure that you understand all the details, how to do that, how to play responsibly, and we hope you have some fun along the way.
Nestor Aparicio 5:08
I’m not going to give you credit as being the guy who came up with second chance prizes, but it is kind of what I try to explain to people when they come out on the Maryland Crab Cake tour, and I have scratch off, and I hand them a two-dollar Raven scratch off, and they are very attractive right now. And you could do that at Kozas this week or anywhere on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour. And I tell them about second chances because first thing they do is they get something out fingernail. No people don’t have nickels and dimes and quarters anymore, not in our society. So they’re grabbing anything they can grab to scratch the schmutz, and they want to win. And I always say that, and and I say get your phone out. I’m like, what do I need that for? I’m like, well, you know, empty lottery, my second chance. You have to do this stuff, and that’s really at the crux. It every time we do one of these kickoffs, we’re telling people, hey, it’s nice. You can win some money. You win 20 great. You might win 100 bucks in my presence. People have done that when I give them out because they really are winning tickets. But if you’re not playing, you can’t win the big banana. And I guess this is where I’m going to give you the opportunity to talk Ravens because we’re talking a lot of Ravens around here. We’re doing more talking than they are doing playing. They’re not playing till September 13th, but all the fans have a chance to play and win and win really big, cool stuff with this promotion.
John Martin 6:17
Each and every season, fans eagerly anticipate the kickoff to the Ravens season, not only because of the Ravens, but because of the MD Lottery and what we’re able to do with providing second chance experiential prizes, as we call them. So now, in addition to the cash prizes can be won, if you go to mdottery.com, you’ll see, for instance, that we have our first drawing. Actually, we’ve already missed the first drawing. We will announce the winners of the first drawing, and there are drawings each and every month. So don’t despair. I’m
Nestor Aparicio 6:46
already late. Now I did this. Listen, I did the segment two weeks ago. I got in front of this, so this is early bird catches the raven,
John Martin 6:55
something like that. So the so the the the first week’s prizes or first month’s prizes you could have won, and we’ll announce the winners in the next day or two. Are and this is all preseason games, the the cash pass for cash game day experience, which is a lot of fun, where an employee, an alumni, a Ravens alumni, comes in and represents you on the field and tries to pass for cash so that you can win money, and we’ll do that to each and every home game. And as I’m looking here, we have home games on the 15th of August and the 28th of August. So you’re lucky to do that. You also may be our preseason fan of the game on the 15th, the 22nd, which will be an away game, as well as the 28th. So a lot of things in this first month are geared towards the preseason, but during the season, don’t despair, and you can check out all the drawing dates on mdlottery.com. We’ll be offering prizes, including an away trip on the team charter to Charlotte later in the season, and ultimate prize: 20 years of season tickets. Stay tuned.
Nestor Aparicio 8:04
10 chances to win. It says so right on the ticket. The Maryland Crab Cake Tour, presented by the Maryland Lottery, GBMC, and Farnham and Durham are coming to you soon. We’re going to be acostas this week. Luke and Alan are checking in. We got the baseball trading deadline. Baseball, baseball, baseball. Thought you talked about
8John Martin 8:20
baseball. I
Nestor Aparicio 8:20
thought of you the other day. I thought of you the other day. Well, I watched the Baltimore Orioles, and I didn’t on Tuesday night, which was great for me. I went to see Getty Lee in New York. Thank you to all my sponsors and friends, and Getty Lee and Alex Lifeson. But I, it was 14 nothing they lost, and I know when they lose 14 to nothing, I know it’s not costing you money, but they were hitting home runs left and right the other day, and I almost threw you like a text on the bat phone, the John Martin bat phone, to say, “Man, you better, you better get out of the house, figure out how you gonna pay all this at the Maryland Lottery because they were hitting home runs. But it’s on and it’s off, and I know one thing: we haven’t had any salamis around here in a while. I’m in need of a cold cut. Let’s go. Yeah,
John Martin 9:02
it’s it’s been a while, but and again, if people don’t know what we’re talking about, shame on them because we talk about this often. But it is the Orioles promotion that we have called Home Run Riches Walk Off Winnings, where you purchase a $5 fast play ticket, and in addition to cash prizes, including a progressive jackpot, which was won recently over $180,000. I believe it was an Essex winner. So in in in your corner of the world there. So we are we pick people for every game, home or way to be the contestant of the game. One special person every month is our VIP experience participant, and we had a great run in July here with with our VIP experience winner. We haven’t posted the video yet. We haven’t produced that, but it’ll be up shortly on MDLlattery.com. Lifelong Orioles fan. I love stories like this. They go back to Memorial Stadium. They go back to the ’60s and ’70s when. Championships were a plenty here in in Baltimore. Names like
Nestor Aparicio 10:04
Aparicio. I’m sorry. Okay, we could get in the way.
John Martin 10:06
Well, I did tee it up there. I was waiting for you to take a swing at it.
Nestor Aparicio 10:10
I’m just on the chart trying to figure out if I actually know the person from Essex because, like, it’s so much fun when I actually once a year usually 162. Right, we do that. So I I usually know someone who wins, so I’m just trying. I’m having fun with this right now because I’m up in empty lottery. So go ahead.
John Martin 10:26
So we’ll have some fun, and this one I think is is is a is an easy one for you. Roland
8Nestor Aparicio 10:31
Napic. I know the Napic family in Dundalk. 25th of August. There you go. I got somebody. All right. Good. Good. Good. All right. Good. All
John Martin 10:38
right. All right. Good. So our VIP contestant for the month of August is Carrie Gilbert from Street Maryland. Nestor, where in the world is Street Maryland?
Nestor Aparicio 10:49
Street Maryland is in, I believe, it’s in Northern Baltimore County. I believe I, I, I’ve had callers from Street Maryland. I’m going to look up Street Maryland so I can tell people exactly where Street Maryland is Street. Maryland is exact. There’s a post office there. Is it in Harford? Right on the line. It’s in Hartford. Darn it! Darn it! It’s it’s North Harford High School. Okay, my bad. I’m sorry.
John Martin 11:15
That’s right. You can see Pennsylvania from there though. If you stand on your tippy, you can see
Nestor Aparicio 11:19
Jarrettsville from there too if you look, yeah, yeah, yeah.
John Martin 11:21
But Carrie Gilbert is our VIP experience winner for the month of August on the 22nd. Tampa Bay Rays, boy, that team. How do they? How does that team do it?
Nestor Aparicio 11:32
Well, they they scout and they draft and then they create the minor league system. That that that. Oh, I’m sorry. We’re gonna have a salary cap. That’s that’s on next week’s edition. I listen. I’ve had Tim Kerchin this week. You’re a big baseball guy. I’ve had Buster only this week. I’ve had Janet Marie this week. But I’ve gone around base. Evan Drellick, who’s written books on such topics, so I’ve got your baseball tray. I got all that. Take you take care of Weather Street, Maryland’s, and Harford County and Baltimore County for me today. And I’m trying to figure out what a county line is because I just embarrass myself and I’m trying. Yeah, it’s very well into Harford County. All right.
8John Martin 12:06
Well, they moved it. They moved it. I love
Nestor Aparicio 12:08
you, Harford County. I’m sorry.
John Martin 12:10
There’s there’s some redistricting going on. I’m sure that will. Well, my
Nestor Aparicio 12:13
signal goes there. I know this because I’ve had. Of course it does.
John Martin 12:16
All right, I’m sure it does. So yeah, a lot of fun. Check it out online. We have given to date over $147,000 in Home Run Riches. That’s roughly 123 home runs, five of the Grand Slam variety, and our progressive jackpot on the Home Run Riches walk-off winnings fast play game. Not now over $45,000. So check all that out at mdlottery.com.
Nestor Aparicio 12:40
John Martin’s here. He’s the executive director of all things Maryland Lottery and Gaming. We got winners. This is really a crossover. Get home run riches. We still got like a good two and a half months of that left. We’ve got the the start of of our scratch off Ravens season, which is my favorite season as well. But lots of other things going on. You have so many promotions going on and people going places. I just want to give you some oxygen. What else you got going on? Because we got a big announcement to make at the end of this. We got to do too.
John Martin 13:05
Yeah, let’s talk about some more winners, and we give you a chance to redeem yourself on the on the the map. Don’t put your Rand McNally away too too fast. By the way, I don’t
8Nestor Aparicio 13:13
know Mark Travaglene from Dundalk. He is the contestant this week on the fifth. Sharon Norwood, Catonsville. I might know her. I I’m just looking like I I like to know our winners, especially baseball fans. It’s fun. Well,
John Martin 13:28
which yeah yeah. Well, we’ll see. We’ll see. Oh, listen,
Nestor Aparicio 13:30
I’ll click over from Empty Lottery and I’ll go to the just the main winners right now. We could talk some winners. Let’s do it.
John Martin 13:35
Yeah, yeah. We we great story, and I love stories like this. We had a we’ll stay in in Harford County with a a young lady who she and her husband came in to claim their $56,000 435 56 435 prize on race tracks at a similar. Yep, yep, yep. And I love it when when you know the stories are kind of similar, you know they they have a feeling they don’t know if they want to play. Then they play a little bit, and next thing you know, bam, she wins a superfecta on the racetracks program. Again, you can find out all about racetracks by going to mdlottery.com or
Nestor Aparicio 14:17
come join me at the bar at the end of Costas and Dundalk when I’m down there, because I have a, I’m so happy you’re talking about racetracks because I had a racetracks experience this week. But go ahead, on my mom’s birthday, no less. But go ahead.
John Martin 14:28
All right, all right. Well, I was just gonna say the thing that makes us unique is that she is from Harford County, but she purchased her ticket at Mimi’s liquor station in Lusby. So I’m sure there’s a backstory there. Is I’m sure she just didn’t go out. See, I know where
Nestor Aparicio 14:40
Lusby is. I’ve had breakfast in Lusby. Lusby’s down by Solomon’s, down by the bridge. Oh yeah, at St. Mary. Like so, see you. You got me on street, but you weren’t going to get me on Lusby. Never let you see that.
8John Martin 14:52
That that’s not the getcha. I got I got another getcha here for you. But I just thought it was interesting. They were probably out in some nice summertime experience down there. And worked their way back to to Harford County, but we also have a story of a Burdensville woman, Burtonsville, Maryland, who won $50,000 by purchasing a scratch off ticket when she was at the Giant supermarket, and she bought that in. Well, I’m not going to tell you where she bought it because that will tip it off. But where in the world is Burtonsville, Maryland? Burtonsville’s
Nestor Aparicio 15:25
right off of 95, sort of Laurel, but I think it’s you know I think it’s west of there. I I’m not. Don’t make me. I almost said PG Prince George’s County because I don’t offend anybody down there. Montgomery County. It’s somewhere on the, it’s in one or the other.
John Martin 15:44
So you’re what you’re gonna play this county line again, huh? All right, I just don’t know which
Nestor Aparicio 15:48
one it’s in, and so I don’t want to. I don’t.
John Martin 15:50
You’re you’re close enough. I’ve already screwed up.
Nestor Aparicio 15:52
See, the problem with street Maryland is I live sort of Towson Lock Raven, so when I think of street, I know which direction. I know it’s that way. Yes, and I’m like, it’s going north, but it’s really going northeast. And I don’t know. Once I get outside of Jacksonville, where Leonard Raskin lives, I you know I know if I go east, I’m in Harford County, but I’m not sure where. But I know my Lusby’s and I know my Burtonsville, so I’m gonna look up my Burtonsville here. Hold on, and I want to make sure that I’m not offending anybody here. I’m right. Yeah. Okay. It’s. It looks actually not only
John Martin 16:23
west of Laurel. It is west of West Laurel. So it’s right
8Nestor Aparicio 16:27
next to Laurel. I got it. It’s. It is right on 9595. goes through Burke. Okay. Good. I’m glad. I know now. Okay.
John Martin 16:34
All right.
Nestor Aparicio 16:36
But I still think it’s Prince George’s. Yeah. I believe. I believe it’s actually
John Martin 16:40
the giant stores in Prince George’s County at the giant supermarket in Prince George’s. I believe it was the the Laurel location. But yeah, she won a again stopped at the at the the self service vending machine. Very popular process. People their groceries they check out as they’re leaving. It’s not an accident. It’s by design. Those machines are there before they head their groceries out to the car. They stop in, make a nice little purchase, enjoy that. She won $20, or she spent $20 $5 tickets. Four of them. Two of them were non-winners. One was a modest $5 winner, but that fourth one, bada boom, bada bing, $50,000 top prize again, unbelievable. Didn’t scan the ticket, talk to people, make sure, and then told her husband the good news. And of course, he, being the husband, said, “That’s great, dear. Let’s put this in the bank for a rainy day.
Nestor Aparicio 17:38
John, that might happen in McComber County. I’m not. It’s so close, Burtonsville and West Laurel, right on the line there. But congratulations, either way. I yes,
John Martin 17:47
yes.
Nestor Aparicio 17:48
I’m a Baltimore guy. You all are rooting for the wrong football team for the most part. Anyway, even though the Ravens are practicing down in College Park this week as well. John Martin is here. He’s executive director of all things Maryland lottery and gaming. And listen, this is where I’m going to give you a little bit of oxygen here. I have I have a rule in life, and this is a very Tony Robbins rule. Though I’m sideways with him right now, personally, but he would always say, “This is very early in my life when I did my first Tony Robbins training 32 years ago. Never ever threaten the end of a relationship. You know what I mean? So it’s what we say. You know what I mean. Like in a good relationship, but all things come to an end, and all things have a departure. And I want to give you a little oxygen to talk about what’s going on at the Maryland Lottery because you and I have been together a long time, doing this together a long time.
8John Martin 18:35
Yes, we have. Don’t get all mushy. I mean now though. So many people who are seek their information from other sources. May have seen the the news release at the end of last week. The governor of the state of Maryland, Westmore, has decided to appoint a successor. I have made known for several months now to to the governor that I will be retiring at the end of the calendar year, and that I encouraged him, not that I influenced him in any way, but if he had somebody in mind that he wanted to appoint as the next director, that I’d be willing to take them under my wing and counsel them on anything I can, and make that a smooth and seamless transition. And he has seen to to accept that challenge, and so Jeremy Baker, who currently is the chief legislative officer for the governor in Annapolis, has been appointed as the successor. He will be here on board after MaCo, so the second half of August, and we will have a very seamless and and cordial transition from what I do here to what he will be doing. He comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience on the legislative front, on the workings of Annapolis, which is kind of important if you’re going to be a government agency as we are. He understands the. Budget process, and those are things quite candidly that were not my strengths, and my strengths are maybe things that he needs to to get up to speed on. So I think it’s a nice, you know, you got chocolate on my peanut butter, I got peanut butter on my chocolate kind of kind of relationship there. That we will have several weeks, maybe months even. So it’s going to be a a planned transition. I’m not just going to you know head out right in the sunset just yet. So we’ll have many opportunities, and maybe at some point when when he’s a little more comfortable with things, we’ll get him into the conversation as well, so your audience can get a chance to understand who the new person is, Jeremy Baker, that will be heading this agency at the end of the year and and for the next four years theoretically.
Nestor Aparicio 20:46
Yeah, I’ll say the same thing to him that I would say to you, and I candidly, not even on the air, off the air, but I think I’ve spent a long time now understanding your business over the last 10 years promoting it, understanding a lot of different things, where the money goes, and then the sports gambling and sports wagering side that’s piled onto this. In by the way, my 28th anniversary of doing this for a living. It’s only been a handful of years we’ve talked about gambling in the real sense of the word. I think it’s almost like when Steve Bashadi or David Rubenstein come from another place and buy a sports team. It’s such a specialized business, the lottery business, right? Like unless you’re in it, or maybe even the casino business, I would say. But that industry is such a specialized industry. It’s like sports, just different than the rest of the world in some way, right?
John Martin 21:33
Yeah, absolutely is. And I would say what we’re doing here in Maryland again is kind of a trend setting. Most people in other agencies in other states, when there is an impending change, and sometimes it happens in a moment, in a flash, there’s a gubernatorial election, party in power switches, and the whole team is out, a new team is in, and and you literally you’re you’re tossing your keys to the to the guy as you’re going to the parking lot, and he’s walking in, and there is zero time, really, to to go through a transition, so for us to have this planned in advance, orchestrated, like I say, seamless and and measured is really foreign to the lottery industry, and one I’m very excited about that maybe we can once again set set the tone for what other people could then point to as as the right way to do
Nestor Aparicio 22:21
it, and last thing for you, just on the on the stats and the math of this, because it’s what I do. How many years have you been the executive director of Maryland Lottery?
John Martin 22:29
Well, I became the executive director july 1 of 2021, and I came to the lottery in October of 2011 from previous experience working in the Ohio Lottery. So, so while this is not my first career, it’s probably my third career. It is one that I spent the last 1516, years, and and you know you you kind of pick up a few things in that time frame. And we haven’t. Well, you know, when I get
Nestor Aparicio 22:51
together with you again and really peel back the onion on this, I would ask you what you found when you came to the industry and how much it’s grown and where it is, even on the Ohio side and coming to Maryland and training for 10 years, and then running the lottery for five or six years. Here, I would think running the lottery five or six years is a long time too, though, right? Like I would think a lot of lottery commissions, people don’t keep these gigs 10, 1215, years either. More like a baseball manager, you know, 568, years is a long time to be running that kind of organization, right?
John Martin 23:20
You know there are so many analogies to to to sports head coaches and managers that that you’re right. You’re right. See, I made
8Nestor Aparicio 23:26
it. I was smart bringing that up. See, at least I sound like I know what I’m talking about halfway, right?
John Martin 23:30
Well, yeah. Don’t don’t get me started on that. But I’ll get a picture of
Nestor Aparicio 23:35
what you look like when you got the job, and now we’ll see if you’ve aged like the president of the United States. You know
John Martin 23:40
what I mean? Oh yeah, easily, easily. Yep, that happens. That happens.
Nestor Aparicio 23:44
Well, congratulations to you. Congratulations to mr. Baker in charge, and Wes as well for you know keeping. We got to keep the lottery going. If you don’t want to do it anymore, we got to find somebody to do it. John Martin is here. He’s executive director of all things Maryland lottery and gaming, and we’ll still be sticking around, which I will enjoy, even if he won’t. You know what I’m saying? If you’re getting all mushy with you, the only way I’m gonna get mushy with you is if the Guardians or the Orioles win the World Series. And I don’t, I don’t have any Kleenex lying around right now for either one of us. Yeah, we’ll have to figure that out on the way out.
John Martin 24:14
Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.
Nestor Aparicio 24:16
He is John Martin. He executively directs all things Maryland lottery and game, at least till the end of this calendar year. You can find all of the information you need up at ndlotter.com. You want to download the My Lottery Rewards app as well. I’ll be at Costas this week doing this, giving away the Ravens scratch-offs to people in an OTB that are yelling. And I never told you my racetrack story. My wife and I, on my my mom’s birthday, went to Costas and Dundalk for crabs because that’s where they have the crabs. My mom loved Costas. My mom loved crabs. Haven’t had crabs all year, so delicious. Sitting at the bar, and we’re I’m all bibbed up. We’re watching the Oros. I’m wearing my ’66 Jim Palmer giveaway throwback. That’s too big for me, which is perfect when you’re eating crabs because it’s bibby. You know, it’s mess. And we got some beers out. Dude next to us, no kid, moves out of our way. Recognize me who I was. Moved out of my way, and I’m like, no, you can stay here. He’s like, nah, I’m just drinking a beer. I’m watching the race tracks, and we looked up, and my wife caught the fever, John. And I swear to you, I like literally, I took pictures of this because the fun part, and this is what I need to talk to mr. Baker about, is because I I might need a new gig when this is all over. With what I want to do when my career is over is I want to be the dude that names the horses in racetracks because I was just wondering because that’s all I’m betting on. I said to the guy, I’m like, you don’t have a form. He’s like, no, I’m a big racetrack racing guy. I know how to read the form. I bet the real horses. I go to Kostaronium. I bet the real, and I’m like, well, why do you play racetracks? He’s like, I just bet the colors and the numbers. You know, I just have fun with it here, you know. And he was having the time of his life, and he’s teaching my wife about racetracks. And then we had this big winner this week. You talked about, but I just wanted to let you know that I really did. I took pictures of what the names of the horses were because I thought like that’s a great gig there being able to name the horses because that’s the inducement to wager for me give them good names that’s all I’m going to say I can’t find my my picture but I did take pictures
8John Martin 26:15
yeah I I don’t know that that job is available but I’ll I’ll do a little background know some people who know some people, maybe screaming
Nestor Aparicio 26:22
Nestor, you know Cleveland John, you know what I mean, Pittsburgh, you know something. I’ll come up with something for him. So I’m just, but I would put names in like that, and we would. No,
John Martin 26:36
there you have it. There you have it. I’m not
Nestor Aparicio 26:38
qualified to name. Yeah, I’ll pass that along. Racetracks, but it was fun reading the horse names. That’s all I’m saying because that’s what the inducement was for me. Ah, for all of you out there, please do all this responsibly. I have a good time with this, and every once in a while I gamble $1 or two, but never more. But that’s just my gig. Do it responsibly. Know your limits, and if you need some help, one 800 gambler is always there for you. Jonathan, we get it all in,
John Martin 27:01
and then some.
Nestor Aparicio 27:02
All right. Well, get on out and have some fun here with sports as we get it going here. Luke is in Owings Mills, and Luke is downtown. There’s two Lukes. There’s one Nestor. We are WNSTA in 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We never stop talking. Baltimore positive.
