Pennsylvania Man Claims Mega Millions Second-Tier Prize
A trip to the hospital is rarely a good thing. But, for James Barbour, it has become a wonderful experience. While working a construction job at a Hagerstown hospital, the Pennsylvania resident stopped to purchase a couple Mega Millions tickets.
“I buy two Mega Millions tickets every Tuesday on my way to work,” said the 67-year-old. “I went back to the store on Wednesday to check my tickets this week, and the clerk told me it was too large of a prize to claim there and that I had to take a trip to Baltimore. I thought I was going to pass out.”
The $250,000 Mega Millions win came at a perfect time as he and his wife will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in April. Along with making the anniversary extra-special, James plans on paying off his house, saving some of the prize money, and spending a lot more time fishing this summer.
When asked by Lottery officials how he felt about the win, James said, “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I’ve been working construction for 49 years and this is not something that usually happens to someone like me.”
James matched all five balls, except the Mega Ball, from Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing. The winning ticket was purchased at BP Gas Station, located at 1760 Dual Hwy. in Hagerstown.