The big Powerball prize that an Anne Arundel County maintenance official won on July 8 was “an answer to a prayer,” the lucky player told Maryland Lottery officials.
The $50,000 prize will enable the winner and his wife to fulfill their dream of spending their retirement years near their grandkids. The Glen Burnie man can now make a long-delayed land purchase, thanks to the winning ticket he bought at the nearby Quarterfield Service Center.
“I only play Mega Millions and Powerball,” said the 56-year-old, “and always using the same set of numbers I put together from my wife’s birthday.” The loyal player bought two draws for the July 5 and July 8 drawings from his lucky Lottery retailer. Those familiar digits were the first thing he saw when he checked the July 8 Powerball results on Sunday morning.
“I noticed that the first two numbers matched but the third didn’t,” he said. “I was happy because that meant a $7 win. Then, I looked again.”
After that missed number, the ticket contained three more matches including the Power Ball. “It was stunning! I called my wife over so she could take a look,” he said. “We then checked to see what prize we got for matching four white balls plus the Power Ball – another stunner!”
The lucky grandpa was the only Maryland Powerball player to win the $50,000 prize and one of 19 players nationwide to do so. No one hit the jackpot on Saturday, so it rolled to $155 million for the Wednesday, July 12 drawing. The cash option is $95.9 million.
His plans for the $50,000 prize involve a piece of property north of Baltimore. “It became available last year and it happens to be adjacent to our son’s property – just perfect for a place to retire to down the road.” Several factors combined to prevent the transaction, he said, but the big win clears the way for the purchase.
“We weren’t sure it would ever happen,” he said. “Now, we are.” The couple can thank their lucky Lottery retailer for their winning ticket. The Anne Arundel County business is located at 7700 Quarterfield Road in Glen Burnie.