While no one has yet won the more than $1 billion national Powerball prize, one lucky person did purchase a winning $1 million ticket from the Berlin Food Lion last week.
The Maryland Lottery announced that the winning “second-tier” ticket was sold on Jan. 9 in Berlin to a 51-year-old Worcester County man, and a father of four, who asked to remain anonymous.
According to a press released issued by the Maryland Lottery on Wednesday, the man stopped at the Food Lion in search of “affordable limes.” It was his second stop, having passed up purchasing the citrus at another grocery store, “because they were too expensive.”
“While his significant other waited in their vehicle, the Powerball player ran into the Berlin Food Lion to grab the limes and – at the last minute – a $6 Maryland Lottery Powerball Quick-Pick ticket,” the release stated.
The man apparently learned of his winning ticket late Saturday night after watching the NFL playoffs. He tried not to wake up his significant other, but by 4:30 a.m. he broke down. He told her no one had won the Powerball jackpot, but added, “We still won a million.”
He later placed the ticket in a safe until he could claim his prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore on Tuesday. He was one of 28 second-tier winners nationwide in the Jan. 9 Powerball drawing.
Maryland Lottery’s Director of Communications Carole Everett said million-dollar tickets “rarely” went unclaimed in the state.
“We tell people, please check your tickets, because even if you don’t win the jackpot or the second tier there are lots of other prizes on the tickets,” she said. “Also, sign the back of your tickets – if you lose it and somebody else picks it up, it’s theirs unless you sign it.”
Last year, eight people won second-tier $1 million Powerball prizes in Maryland. During the last fiscal year, 20 people won $1 million playing all Maryland Lottery games.
For selling the winning ticket, Food Lion receives a $2,500 bonus.
“Food Lion is a longstanding retail partner with the Maryland Lottery. We offer a number of services to shoppers, including the lottery, and we are very proud that one of our customers purchased a $1 million winning ticket,” Benny L. Smith, Food Lion Media and Community Relations manager, said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
As of Wednesday, the national Powerball jackpot jumped to $1.5 billion, including a $930 million cash option.
According to Maryland Lottery, if the winning ticket were sold in Maryland the winner would net $616.1 million after taxes. If the winner chose the annuity option, they would receive a minimum $14.9 million per year for 29 years in graduated payments, with the state receiving $1.9 million in tax revenue.
Powerball is operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), a nonprofit association owned and operated by member lotteries in 36 U.S. states and territories. Profits from MUSL games are retained by the state lottery and used to fund projects approved by the individual state legislatures.
The Maryland Lottery announced that the winning “second-tier” ticket was sold on Jan. 9 in Berlin to a 51-year-old Worcester County man, and a father of four, who asked to remain anonymous.
According to a press released issued by the Maryland Lottery on Wednesday, the man stopped at the Food Lion in search of “affordable limes.” It was his second stop, having passed up purchasing the citrus at another grocery store, “because they were too expensive.”
“While his significant other waited in their vehicle, the Powerball player ran into the Berlin Food Lion to grab the limes and – at the last minute – a $6 Maryland Lottery Powerball Quick-Pick ticket,” the release stated.
The man apparently learned of his winning ticket late Saturday night after watching the NFL playoffs. He tried not to wake up his significant other, but by 4:30 a.m. he broke down. He told her no one had won the Powerball jackpot, but added, “We still won a million.”
He later placed the ticket in a safe until he could claim his prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore on Tuesday. He was one of 28 second-tier winners nationwide in the Jan. 9 Powerball drawing.
Maryland Lottery’s Director of Communications Carole Everett said million-dollar tickets “rarely” went unclaimed in the state.
“We tell people, please check your tickets, because even if you don’t win the jackpot or the second tier there are lots of other prizes on the tickets,” she said. “Also, sign the back of your tickets – if you lose it and somebody else picks it up, it’s theirs unless you sign it.”
Last year, eight people won second-tier $1 million Powerball prizes in Maryland. During the last fiscal year, 20 people won $1 million playing all Maryland Lottery games.
For selling the winning ticket, Food Lion receives a $2,500 bonus.
“Food Lion is a longstanding retail partner with the Maryland Lottery. We offer a number of services to shoppers, including the lottery, and we are very proud that one of our customers purchased a $1 million winning ticket,” Benny L. Smith, Food Lion Media and Community Relations manager, said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
As of Wednesday, the national Powerball jackpot jumped to $1.5 billion, including a $930 million cash option.
According to Maryland Lottery, if the winning ticket were sold in Maryland the winner would net $616.1 million after taxes. If the winner chose the annuity option, they would receive a minimum $14.9 million per year for 29 years in graduated payments, with the state receiving $1.9 million in tax revenue.
Powerball is operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), a nonprofit association owned and operated by member lotteries in 36 U.S. states and territories. Profits from MUSL games are retained by the state lottery and used to fund projects approved by the individual state legislatures.