Powerball player follows ‘family tradition.’ Then big prize leaves her in tears
A Powerball player followed a “family tradition” — and it led her to a big prize.
“This is such a blessing, though I still find it difficult to believe it really happened, even now,” the winner told the Maryland Lottery in an Aug. 27 news release. “I cried when I realized that I’d won.”
The emotional moment unfolded after the woman stopped at Bernie’s Liquors in Middle River, a roughly 15-mile drive northeast from downtown Baltimore. While there, she spent $3 on a Powerball ticket.
The winner opted for Double Play, meaning her ticket was entered into a second drawing. It matched five numbers picked in that drawing, making it worth $500,000, according to the Powerball website.
The prize has special meaning for the winner. Her late dad “left behind a legacy of playing lottery games,” but his winnings never reached a half-million dollars, according to officials.
“My father really enjoyed playing the lottery,” the lucky woman said. “He had so much fun playing that he’d have continued even without the wins.”
The woman — a retired administrative assistant identified only by the nickname “Brown Eyed Girl” — lives in Joppatowne. Lottery officials didn’t reveal how much she kept after taxes.
This story was originally published August 29, 2025 at 3:08 PM with the headline "Powerball player follows ‘family tradition.’ Then big prize leaves her in tears."
