'Mr. Blessed' Wins $1 Million Powerball Prize With Unlucky Numbers

From the Maryland Lottery website:

LARGO, MD — A Largo father of three who decided to give his set of unlucky Powerball numbers a second chance won $1 million in the historic billion-dollar-plus Jan. 13 drawing.

“I had played the same numbers the week prior,” said the 40-year-old, who declined to be identified. “I figured I had a better chance of winning with the same numbers. I feel truly blessed. That’s what you call destiny.”

The Largo resident bought one of the three $1 million winning tickets sold in Maryland for the drawing, which saw the jackpot reach a historic $1.6 billion before being hit by players in Florida, Tennessee and California. One Marylander also won $100,000 in the drawing and 24 winning tickets brought in $50,000 each for office pools and individuals.

The loyal Powerball player bought his winning ticket the morning of the Powerball drawing at Walker Mill BP in Capitol Heights. On the morning of Jan. 14, the early riser went for coffee at a 7-Eleven while he watched the news. The TV station he watched reported a winning ticket sold at a Wawa in Frederick but said nothing about his store. The Prince George’s County resident had spent $20 on tickets for the previous night’s drawing and wondered if he had won anything.

“I checked my tickets and I had the winning numbers and I just couldn’t believe it,” he said. “It was an out-of-body experience.”

He called his mom to share the news and took a picture of his ticket, using his phone, to show her proof of his Maryland Lottery luck. He then “hid” the ticket in his safe deposit box until he could claim his prize.

The next day, the winner stopped at the Citgo across the street from the Walker Mill BP and saw numerous TV crews at that store. He guessed they were doing stories about the $1 million winning ticket sold there and watched them from the parking lot of the Citgo. He knew the reporters were looking for him.

“Sometimes the big story is right under your nose,” he said.

He’s kept his win a secret from everyone except his immediate family and followed his mother’s advice to hire an attorney. The happy winner has set up college funds for his three children and plans to put some of his winnings into the home maintenance company he owns and operates in the Washington, D.C., area. He set aside the rest of the prize as a nest egg for retirement.

The lucky retailer also benefits from selling the winning ticket. The Lottery will give Walker Mill BP a $2,500 bonus.

»PHOTO: “Mr. Blessed” of Largo won a $1 million Powerball prize in the historic Jan. 13 drawing, courtesy of Maryland Lottery