$100K Powerball Winner From Howard County Steps Forward To Claim Big Prize

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A federal employee has stepped forward to claim his $100,000 Powerball prize from the Oct. 4 drawing. He told Maryland Lottery that he was "on the fence" about buying a ticket for that huge drawing, because lottery luck had been eluding him lately.

“I always play Powerball when the jackpot is extra big,” the 55-year-old said.

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.

Instead, he considered going home but then stopped at the 7-Eleven at 5740 Columbia Road to buy a ticket.

“At the last moment, I decided to give Powerball one more chance," he said, then he added the power play multiplier to his purchase.

A thunderstorm woke the lotto player at 5 a.m., so he 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.” But one quick glance at the lottery app confirmed his big win.

“It was just amazing,” he told lottery officials.

The winner plans to donate some of his prize winnings to his church and set the remainder aside to pay off his mortgage and travel when COVID-19 travel restrictions let up.