Doubles prize thanks to Power Play multiplier
A federal employee who visited Maryland Lottery headquarters last week to claim his $100,000 Powerball prize almost didn’t get to make the trip. Although loyal to the multistate game, especially when the jackpot is large, the Columbia resident was on the fence about buying a ticket for the Oct. 4 drawing because Lottery luck had eluded him.
The good fortune he found made Oct. 4 one of the best days of his life.
“I always play Powerball when the jackpot is extra big,” said the 55-year-old. The jackpot for the Oct. 4 drawing had rolled to $699.8 million, which ranks as “extra big” in anyone’s book.
“I almost didn’t stop for the ticket, though,” he said. The Howard County man considered going home instead of pulling into 7-Eleven #11704, which is located at 5740 Columbia Road in Columbia. “At the last moment, I decided to give Powerball one more chance.” As is his custom, he added the Power Play multiplier option to his purchase. Power Play impacts all lower-tier prizes won on a ticket.
Awakened by a thunderstorm at 5 a.m., the lucky man decided to check the drawing results. “I saw the matching numbers but figured that, as early as it was, I must be groggy, must be seeing things.” A quick check using his Lottery App confirmed the $100,000 news.
“It was just amazing,” he told Lottery officials. What’s even more amazing is that he was able to go back to sleep!
The Powerball fan plans to donate some of his prize to his church and set the remainder aside to pay off his mortgage and travel when COVID-19 travel restrictions ease a bit more.
