Rockville Couple Enjoys $50K Mother's Day Surprise

ROCKVILLE, MD — In mid-April, a Rockville couple went into Rodman’s Discount Gourmet in Kensington to purchase some of their favorite Maryland Lottery games. They don’t normally play Powerball, but the husband suggested his wife buy a ticket.

“I told her she might win this time,” he told Maryland Lottery officials. The hopeful player bought her games and a quick-pick Powerball ticket for the April 23 drawing, tucking them all into her purse. The cashier at a local wine and beverage store then went to work and forgot about the tickets.

On Mother’s Day, she remembered them and pulled them out of her purse. “It just dawned on me to see if I had any winners,” she said. After a Lottery retailer cashier checked the games, the Powerball ticket turned up a $50,000 winner.

“I told her this is her Mother’s Day gift,” said her husband, a retired Montgomery County Department of Transportation employee.

The winning duo wasted no time coming to Lottery headquarters in Baltimore on the Monday after Mother’s Day to claim the prize. The pair decided not to share news of their win with their three adult children and 11 grandchildren. Instead, they plan to help their family members financially when needs arise. They plan to pay bills and make home improvements with some of the money and put the rest in the bank.

The location of their lucky Lottery retailer, Rodman’s Discount Gourmet, is 5148 Nicholson Lane in Kensington.