A Baltimore man recently won a $1 million Powerball prize after changing his usual lottery routine, according to the Maryland Lottery. The winner typically purchased tickets at a gas station near his home and relied on quick pick numbers generated by the machine. However, for the Sept. 3 drawing, he bought his ticket at a different gas station in Pikesville because it was close to an ATM he preferred.
This time, following advice from another player, he chose his own numbers based on the ages and birthdates of family and friends instead of using quick picks. After waiting nearly a week to check his ticket — only doing so after encouragement from his wife — he initially believed he had won $100,000.
“But then he checked again with his wife’s help,” lottery officials said.
Upon reviewing the results together using the Maryland Lottery app, they realized he had matched all five white balls: 3, 16, 29, 61 and 69. He missed only the red Powerball number (22), which resulted in a $1 million prize rather than the jackpot.
“He works as a disability counselor and enjoys what he does,” lottery officials said.
The winner told officials that despite the windfall, he does not plan to change his lifestyle significantly but may take a vacation with his wife and invest some of the money.
Powerball drawings are held three times per week—on Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:59 p.m. ET—and can be streamed online. Tickets are available for purchase on drawing days in participating states and jurisdictions; sales times and prices vary by location. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are approximately one in 292 million. Powerball is played in 45 states as well as Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (https://www.powerball.com/).
