 A traveling salesman from Virginia is one “Lucky Dog” after winning a $50,000 Powerball prize. |
Lottery luck finds Virginia man traveling through Maryland
As the excitement surrounding the $1.6 billion world-record Powerball jackpot spread from state to state, a 57-year-old salesman from Sterling, Va., decided to join the jackpot chasers. He grew up in a home of Lottery players and was looking forward to playing and hopefully winning one day. That day came on Jan. 13, when the shocked “Lucky Dog” took home a $50,000 Powerball prize.
“I can admit I was a little disappointed when I wasn’t lucky enough for the $1 billion prize,” he said. “But, I am lucky in health and that’s really what matters.”
The winner purchased his ticket from 7-Eleven #33290 on 10930 Guilford Road in Annapolis Junction. A Virginia native, the player was meeting a client in Maryland and on his way back home when he picked up two $10 Powerball tickets. His evening was routine but he did place the tickets beneath his recently deceased mother’s picture for extra luck.
“My mom was a big Lottery player, so that’s why I put them there,” he said.
The married man missed his chance to watch the drawing and decided to check his numbers the next morning. Taking his time over breakfast, “Lucky Dog” first read the newspaper and then pulled out his iPad to check the Powerball website. The frequent Powerball player always checks the Power Ball number first and then works his way backward to find any winning number matches.
“It wasn’t the $1 million which I initially thought, but I’ll take it,” he said.
“Lucky Dog” shared the news with his wife and quietly claimed his prize at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. He plans to save some of his prize for retirement and spend some of the winnings on home improvements.
“Lucky Dog” is among 24 $50,000 Maryland winners in the Jan. 13 drawing along with one $100,000 winner and three $1 million winners. Three jackpot-winning tickets were sold in California, Florida and Tennessee.