Milton Price and Latasha Day, both of District Heights, are all smiles after a $50,000 Powerball win. |
District Heights man hits for $50,000; girlfriend plans to start playing
Milton Price of Prince George’s County has big plans for when he hits the jackpot in a Powerball or Mega Millions game: “I’m going to open up a shelter. I want a church, a place where the homeless can come to shower, rest and eat.”
In that sense, the District Heights resident was mildly disappointed when he hit four of the five regular balls plus the Powerball for a $50,000 third-tier win in the April 3 drawing. Mild is the operative word, though. He and his girlfriend, Latasha Day, were so happy that they misplaced Milton’s paperwork after gathering it together.
“I got my birth certificate and Social Security card and put it down. I forgot where I put it,” Milton said. “We were dancing around the house!” The couple spent an hour searching before they relocated the documentation required to claim the prize at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
Milton, 53, has played jackpot games regularly for about eight years and been increasingly confident he will someday win the big prize so he can open a mission and church. Earlier in the day of the April 3 drawing, he bought his $2 quick-pick ticket at 7-Eleven #36880 at 4910 Silver Hill Road in Suitland. He told Latasha that he was going to win and then dropped her off at her home.
“I already knew it!” he said.
“He called me the next morning,” Latasha said. “She said, ‘What did you wake me up for,’” Milton recalls. He went on to say, “Didn’t I tell you I was going to win!”
Her reaction as of the day they claimed his prize: “It didn’t really sink in yet.” Until now, Latasha has not played Lottery games but said, “I’m going to start now.”
Milton plans to pay off his bills with his prize. He’s been working toward that goal and even before the win had settled some debt. His landscaping business was slow during the winter months so the win comes at a good time of year.
To celebrate the win, Milton planned to take Latasha for a dinner – filet mignon, shrimp and potatoes.
There’s still time to join Milton and other players chasing the $68 million jackpot up for grabs in the Saturday, April 6 drawing. The cash option is $42.7 million.