Loyal player finds second-tier win in April 3 drawing
She buys tickets once a week, every week, a Howard County woman told Lottery officials this week, and it’s only the big jackpot games – Mega Millions and Powerball – for her.
“I know the odds are long,” she said, “but somebody always eventually wins.” Well, while no one claimed the $1.09 billion jackpot Powerball was offering on April 3, “somebody” did in fact win pretty big that night. That somebody was this lucky lady.
“My nephew called me the next day to tell me that someone in Howard County had won $1 million playing Powerball,” the self-employed trainer explained. Knowing his aunt to be a player of the multistate game, he encouraged her to check her tickets immediately. It seems that her busy schedule delayed that Powerball ticket check, although she was in no hurry.
“I didn’t expect anything when I eventually scanned the tickets on my Lottery app, even when I saw the odd message.” That message, instructing her to take the ticket to a Lottery retailer, is one that every player longs to see.
Unable to leave her studio at that moment, the loyal player visited the Lottery’s website to gather information. “The first thing I saw was that the million-dollar ticket was sold at the Royal Farms in Jessup where I bought mine. That’s when I got excited.” Moments later, after comparing the Powerball results with her ticket, she said aloud, “I just won a million dollars.”
When her trembling hands allowed, she called her husband and children via FaceTime to share the news. “When they answered the call they were worried – I didn’t even realize that I was crying.”
Maryland’s newest Lottery millionaire plans to erase business debt, buy a new car, fortify her retirement fund and share her good fortune with the family. “This is an amazing blessing, almost too much to believe.”
Just as surprised as our winner, we’re sure, are the folks at Royal Farms #230 at 7136 Montevideo Road in Jessup. The Howard County business will receive a $2,500 bonus from the Lottery for selling the $1 million second-tier winning Powerball ticket.
