Akron, Ohio – A man from Akron turned a personal birthday tradition into a winning lottery moment after his chosen numbers landed perfectly during an Ohio Pick 5 drawing.
Anthony matched all five winning numbers in the May 8, 2026, evening Pick 5 drawing, earning a total prize of $25,417. According to lottery officials, Anthony selected the numbers 3-2-5-5-8 based on his birth date.
He later explained that he had never played those numbers before this year’s birthday, which made the unexpected win even more exciting. Anthony said he was both surprised and thrilled when the numbers were announced as winners.
Birthday Numbers Lead To Big Payday
Lottery officials said Anthony placed a 50-cent straight bet, which alone was worth $25,000 after all five numbers matched in exact order. In addition, he included a 60-way box bet that added another $417 to his overall winnings.
After mandatory state and federal tax deductions totaling 26.75%, Anthony will take home approximately $18,617.95. Rather than making any major purchases immediately, Anthony said he plans to place the winnings into savings.
The winning ticket was sold at Firestone Mini Mart.
