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A Washington, DC man is jumping for joy after celebrating a third-tier “Powerball” prize after playing on a whim while visiting Maryland earlier this month, though it took him a minute to realize he won five figures, not $100.
Maryland Lottery officials say that the accountant enjoys playing “Mega Millions” and “Powerball” but this time, he was unaware that he had won such a momentous prize until a week later.
Last week, the accountant - who is no stranger to dealing with money - stopped of at Giant on East West Highway in Silver Spring to play some games before heading back to DC.
He opted for a $2 “Powerball” ticket for the Wednesday, May 3 drawing, and when he checked his numbers the following day, he realized he had a winner on his hands.
However, the Maryland Lottery player did not realize just how big of a win.
“When I looked at the numbers, I only saw three matches and the red Powerball,” he mused. “In my mind, I’m thinking it’s a $100 win.”
It was a little more than that.
When he went to claim his C-note at his local lottery retailer, officials say that the 70-year-old accountant was in for a game-changing surprise when he scanned the ticket and was instructed to see the cashier.
“I was confused … “Because it’s only $100, right,” he questioned.
Not right.
Bolstered by that message, the accountant took his ticket to the cashier and was advised that he had not won $100. He was now $50,000 richer (minus taxes and fees).
The mistaken man had actually matched four white balls, plus the red Powerball, for a third-tier winning victory.
“When the big winner shared his story with Lottery officials, he still couldn’t believe his miscalculation,” they said. “The father and grandfather said he will probably put his prize into his savings account and may also go on a vacation.”
The “Powerball” jackpot continues to swell, up to an estimated $125 million for the Saturday, May 13 drawing with a possible cash option of more than $67 million.
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