Maryland Lottery's "Contestant of the Game" promotion hits a home run with fans

The Orioles bats have been hot this month, and Maryland Lottery "Contestants of the Game" are reaping the benefits.

One winner is randomly selected for each of the 162 Orioles games. Each winner receives $500 for being selected, and an additional $500 for every Orioles home run hit during that game.

Since the beginning of June, the O's have hit 12 home runs over seven games. Here are some other fun facts from the 2021 season:

• The O's scored 29 runs in the last three games.

• Rookie Ryan Mountcastle has slugged eight home runs this year, including a three-game home run streak last week.

• Fan-favorite Trey Mancini leads the team with a total of 11 home runs this year. This is after he missed all of 2020 while battling colon cancer.

The team has had six games with three home runs this season, including the most recent on June 5th when Darryl Welsh from Dundalk was the "Contestant of the Game". He took home $2,000.

The Lottery has awarded $65,500 to winners through this year's FAST PLAY Home Run Riches second-chance promotion.

It's easy to enter! Submit any winning or non-winning FAST PLAY Home Run Riches tickets, purchased between March 8 and Aug. 23, into your My Lottery Rewards account to be automatically entered into the promotion. Not yet a member of My Lottery Rewards? Click here -- it's free and easy to join!

There are three remaining drawings: June 30, July 28 and Aug. 24. Entries are cumulative, so once you enter a ticket, it remains in the mix unless selected as a winner.

The $5 FAST PLAY Home Run Riches game was introduced to coincide with the start of the 2021 Orioles baseball season. The ticket has a progressive jackpot that starts at $40,000 and continues to grow until someone wins, and then starts over at $40,000 again.

Visit mdlottery.com/homerun for details and to enter the promotion. Let's go O's!

This article is presented by the Maryland Lottery.