A Maryland man is now $1 million richer after accidentally buying an extra lottery ticket this summer that doubled his winnings.
On Monday, Aug. 18, a man from Prince George’s County wasn’t sure if he had already purchased a ticket for an upcoming Powerball drawing. To be safe, he bought another one that covered the next three drawings, including the Double Play option, according to a release from state lottery officials on Aug. 27. Soon after, he and his wife left on an out-of-state trip.
When the drawing took place on Aug. 20, while they were away, he checked the results and learned he had won $500,000. The man, who is being identified only by the nickname “Proud Granddad,” told his wife about the prize. But he also remembered he had a second ticket at home that might be a winner too.
Sure enough, when they returned, he discovered another ticket he had bought earlier on Aug. 12. It also used the same lucky numbers — based on family members’ birth years — and included the Double Play option. That ticket also matched the winning numbers.
“I played it and I forgot I played it,” he told lottery officials on Aug. 26, when he and his wife claimed the prize. He had bought the tickets at two different stores.
In the end, the man won two $500,000 prizes from the Aug. 20 Double Play drawing, giving him a total of $1 million. He said breaking the news to his wife was unforgettable: “To look her in the eye and say I had a $500,000 win was good. It was really good to say I had a million! It’s truly an unbelievable moment.”
The couple, who recently retired, has a large family and now plans to use the money to support their children and grandchildren.
The man isn’t giving up on playing. “That was Powerball. Maybe Mega Millions is waiting,” he told lottery officials.
