Retired from federal government service but not from his favorite hobby of scratching instant tickets, a Baltimore County man told officials on Thursday that he looks for every opportunity to welcome Lottery luck into his life.

A trip to the grocery store last week presented the good fortune he was seeking, showing up in the form of a $50,000 winning “Diamond Spectacular” ticket.

“My wife sent me to the store with a long list, to which I added one thing, scratch tickets,” the 80-year-old father of two and grandfather of four said.

With groceries paid for, his path out of the Giant at 8665 Philadelphia Road in Baltimore led him past a Lottery vending machine from which he picked out a Diamond Spectacular ticket.

“One of my favorites,” he added. “I’ve had some luck with this one.”

The Middle River man began playing his game and immediately noticed several big-money matches.

“I put the ticket away without finishing it and headed for home. The prize that I saw was already too big for the store to cash. I wanted to finish it with some privacy,” he told Lottery officials. “I scratched it in my garage. It was clear that I’d won $50,000 but I just really couldn’t believe it.”

His wife’s reaction to the win was similar. “We each studied it to be sure, but I’ve been playing these for a long time. It was the real deal.”

The lucky winner plans to add his winnings to the family’s savings.