Maryland 'Power couple' wins $2 million with 2 lucky tickets in the Powerball drawing
Ahjané ForbesOne lucky couple in Maryland are being called the “Power Couple” after scoring two winning tickets worth $1 million in a recent Powerball drawing.
The Anne Arundel County couple had no idea that they had two winning Powerball tickets on April 1, according to a news release by the Maryland Lottery.
The couple, who chose to remain anonymous, told Maryland lottery officials that they are frequent players and keep a stack of old lottery tickets handy to use the lottery's replay feature, which allows Powerball players to scan an older ticket and print out a new one with the exact same set of numbers.
They did just that on April 1. The following day, the husband decided to check the tickets. Finding a ticket with the numbers similar to the April 1 drawing, he had to take a second look
“I looked at it and I went to the Powerball site,” he said. “I saw the numbers and I said, ‘No!’”
Calling his wife, the husband could not contain his excitement: “We won $1 million!” he told her.
“We had our crying moment,” he said. “Twenty minutes after that, when I put the ticket down, I went back to the other tickets.”
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Not just one winning ticket, two
Later when the husband checked the rest of the tickets, the couple realized just how lucky they were.
“He joked about it,” the wife told lottery officials. “He said, ‘I still have tickets to go through. What if I have the second $1 million dollar ticket?'"
After checking the other ticket, the couple started celebrating again. They say they plan to invest their winnings.
How to play the Powerball
In order to purchase a $2 Powerball ticket, you'll have to visit your local convenience store, gas station or grocery store - and in a handful of states, you can purchase tickets online.
To play, you will need to pick six numbers in total to mark on your ticket. Five numbers will be white balls ranging from numbers 1 to 69. The Powerball is red and one number which is between 1 and 26.
If you want to increase your chances of winning, you can add a “Power Play” for $1 which increases the winnings for all non-jackpot prizes. This addition can multiply winnings by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X.
Players can also ask a cashier for a "Quick Pick" where a cashier will give you a computer generated numbers on a printed Powerball ticket.
Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. If there's no jackpot winner, the cash prize will increase by millions.
When is the next Powerball drawing?
The next Powerball drawing is on April 10 at 11 p.m. ET. The estimated jackpot is worth $31 million. If there is a winner after Wednesday's drawing and they choose the cash option, they could take home $14.5 million, according to the lottery.
What are the odds of winning the Powerball?
The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are one in 292.2 million, according to the lottery.
The overall odds of winning a Powerball prize are roughly one in 24.9.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores − and in a handful of states, you can purchase tickets online. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050(MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.