A Carroll County father says a last-second decision to buy a Powerball ticket turned into a $50,000 prize that left him speechless for nearly a minute.
Sykesville, MD – A Sykesville father is celebrating a $50,000 Powerball prize after deciding at the last moment to buy a ticket while stopping for gas on his way home from work.
The Carroll County resident, who asked to be identified only as “Mr. Positive,” claimed his prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore after matching four white balls and the Powerball in the June 13 drawing to win the game’s third-tier prize.
Last-second stop paid off
The winner, who works as a car wash attendant, said he typically buys a Powerball ticket about once a week but nearly skipped the purchase altogether that evening.
“As I was waiting for the tank to fill, I remembered that it was a Powerball night – and Powerball is the game I play the most,” he said.
Even after finishing at the gas pump, he almost drove away.
“At the last second, I parked at the convenience store and went in. I was so close to just leaving,” he said.
Scanner message led to surprise
A few days later, the Sykesville resident checked his ticket using a lottery scanner but was confused when it instructed him to take the ticket to the lottery.
“It told me to take the ticket to the Lottery,” he said. “I thought the machine was broken.”
After receiving the same message at another retailer the following day, a store clerk explained that it meant he had won a major prize.
When he later learned the ticket was worth $50,000, the winner said he was overcome with emotion.
“I was excited when she told me that, but I didn’t fully believe it,” he said.
“When he eventually realized that his Powerball prize was $50,000, ‘Mr. Positive’ recalls being speechless for a full minute. ‘I tried to shout, to say anything. It just wouldn’t come.'”
The winning ticket was purchased at Sykesville Convenience Store, located at 887 Sandosky Road in Sykesville.
Key Points
- A Sykesville father won $50,000 in the June 13 Powerball drawing after nearly deciding not to buy a ticket.
- The winner initially thought the lottery ticket scanner was malfunctioning when it instructed him to claim the prize at lottery headquarters.
- The lucky ticket was purchased at Sykesville Convenience Store on Sandosky Road.
Related: Maryland Lottery, Powerball, Sykesville, Carroll County, Lottery Winner
Sources: Maryland Lottery.