Maryland Lottery’s Contestant of the Game promotion returns with 50th anniversary twist

Annual promotion will deliver two $50,000 prizes, including one for the O’s 50th home run of 2023

With the 2023 season underway, Orioles fans are enjoying a new level of excitement. Last season brought the first fruits of a years-long rebuild, as the O’s registered a winning record for the first time since 2016 and stayed in the hunt for a playoff berth all the way through September. Throughout last season, there was a sense that something special was going to happen each game and that there are even bigger moments ahead.

Some of the fans hoping for big moments from the Orioles in 2023 are also participating in this year’s Home Run Riches Contestant of the Game promotion from the Maryland Lottery. The fan-favorite Home Run Riches FAST PLAY game and second-chance promotion are back this year and even bigger than before. 

The Maryland Lottery will again hold monthly drawings to select Contestants of the Game for each of the Orioles’ 162 regular season games. Each winner receives $500 for being picked, and will be designated as the Contestant of the Game for an upcoming Orioles matchup. They’ll also win an additional $500 for each home run the Orioles hit during their designated game.

Last year, the Orioles slugged 171 home runs, led by 33 from outfielder Anthony Santander. The $500 for each of those homers, combined with the $500 each Contestant of the Game won for being drawn, delivered a total of $166,500 prizes. 

This year marks the Maryland Lottery’s 50th anniversary, so the promotion has an added twist this year: The Lottery will award two $50,000 prizes. In addition to the home run winnings, the Contestant of the Game when the Orioles hit their 50th home run of the season will also win $50,000. The Lottery will award a second $50,000 prize to one lucky winner that will be selected in the final drawing on Aug. 29. 

To participate, enter winning and non-winning FAST PLAY Home Run Riches tickets into your My Lottery Rewards account now through Aug. 28, 2023. Not a member of My Lottery Rewards? Click here to start your free account today!

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The FAST PLAY Home Run Riches game coincides with the 2023 Orioles baseball season. The $5 ticket is available from terminals or self-service vending machines at all Maryland Lottery retailers and features instant-win prizes ranging from $5 to $5,000. Its top instant-win prize is a progressive jackpot that starts at $40,000 and grows with the sale of each ticket until a jackpot-winning ticket is sold.

This article is presented by the Maryland Lottery