CHESTER, Md. — A Virginia couple returning from a beach getaway in Delaware made an unplanned stop for gas and walked away with a $50,000 Powerball prize.
The pair had been visiting Dewey Beach when they decided to buy lottery tickets for the July 12 Powerball drawing. On their way home, they stopped at Bayside Xtra Mart on Piney Creek Road in Chester and purchased five quick-pick combinations for $10.
“We really only needed one,” the husband said Wednesday after claiming the prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters. The winning numbers were printed on the first line of their ticket.
According to the couple, they usually play casually and don’t expect to win. “We just buy when we think of it for fun,” the husband added.
The next day, the wife checked the tickets and saw that one line matched four of the five white balls drawn. When she asked her daughter what that was worth, the answer was $100 — until they realized they also matched the red Powerball, turning it into a third-tier $50,000 win.
“Thirty-five dollars is the most I’ve ever won before. It was a happy surprise,” the husband said.
Though thrilled with the outcome, the Maryland native briefly noted that they missed the jackpot by a single ball.
The couple said there are no extravagant plans for the winnings. With five grown children, including two in college, the money already has a destination.