Maryland Man Scores $1M Powerball After Ditching His Routine

A Maryland man just proved that sometimes breaking your own rules pays off—literally.

• Instead of sticking to his usual routine of buying quick-pick tickets from his go-to gas station, the Baltimore player switched things up.

• This time, he grabbed a ticket at a different gas station in Pikesville while visiting an ATM—and chose his own numbers for once, using birthdays and ages of family and friends.

That small change made a massive difference.

At first, he didn’t even bother to check his ticket after the Sept. 3 Powerball drawing. Nearly a week later, his wife nudged him to scan it using the Maryland Lottery app. He thought he’d snagged $100,000—but a second look revealed the truth: he had actually matched all five white balls, winning a $1 million prize.

The winning numbers: 3, 16, 29, 61, 69 (he just missed the Powerball, which was 22).

Despite the life-changing win, the man isn’t planning to change his lifestyle. He works as a disability counselor and says he enjoys his job too much to walk away. Still, he and his wife may treat themselves to a vacation and plan to invest the rest.

Fast facts about Powerball

• Match all five white balls and the red Powerball to hit the jackpot.

• Jackpot odds: 1 in 292,201,338.

• Drawings: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. ET.

• Played in 45 states plus D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

And a reminder: while lottery wins can be thrilling, gambling isn’t harmless for everyone. For some, it can turn into a serious problem that impacts families and finances.