Eastern Shore woman hits $50K Powerball prize just days after her car breaks down
Stevensville, MD — A woman from Maryland’s Eastern Shore picked the perfect time to win $50,000 from the Powerball after her car unexpectedly broke down, leaving her with a costly problem and no wheels — until luck struck.
The winner, who claimed her prize Monday at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore, had matched four of the five white balls and the red Powerball during the December 20 drawing. The ticket narrowly missed the massive $1.5 billion jackpot by just one number, but still delivered a third-tier prize worth $50,000.
Her top priority for the money is replacing her vehicle, which had recently failed. She was accompanied by her husband when claiming the prize.
The winning ticket was purchased at the Dash-In convenience store on Thompson’s Creek Road in Stevensville. The store does not receive a bonus for selling third-tier Powerball tickets.
Although she missed the jackpot, the winner was satisfied with the outcome. Going forward, she and her husband plan to continue playing Powerball — but with a few changes.
They now intend to add the $1 Power Play option to future tickets, which increases non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times. They also plan to explore adding the Double Play option, which gives players a second shot at winning up to $10 million in a separate drawing.
Powerball is played in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and offers nine prize tiers ranging from $4 to the jackpot. The Double Play add-on also has nine prize levels.
—
Key Points
- Eastern Shore woman wins $50,000 Powerball prize after her car breaks down
- The ticket matched four white balls and the Powerball in the December 20 drawing
- She plans to buy a new car and change her Powerball strategy going forward
