BALTIMORE — A number thought by many to be unlucky proved very lucky for thousands of Maryland Lottery players over the weekend.

As a result of Saturday’s Pick 3 drawing of 6-6-6, payout from the lottery more than tripled the amount wagered.

“When triples are drawn, we almost always pay out more than we brought in, which makes them very popular with our Pick 3 players,” Lottery Director Buddy Roogow said. “They’re less popular, however, with our accountants.”

16 ("six hundred and sixteen", or "six hundred sixteen" in American English) is believed by some Christians to have been the original Number of the Beast in the Book of Revelation in the Christian Bible. Different early versions of the Book of Revelation gave different numbers, and 666 had been widely accepted as the original number. In 2005, however, a fragment of papyrus was revealed, containing the earliest known version of that part of the Book of Revelation discussing the Number of the Beast. It gave the number as 616, suggesting that this may have been the original.