MIDDLE RIVER, MD—Anthony Kordell and his wife make it a point to buy Mega Millions and Powerball tickets every Friday night. Whether they are out of the house anyway or make a special trip, the pair picks up tickets for the next week together.

While their Maryland Lottery tradition saw a disappointing hiccup last Friday, you won’t hear this couple complain. The chain of events this interruption set in motion put $50,000 in the family coffers.

“My wife wasn’t feeling well on Friday, so we didn’t go out,” Anthony told Lottery officials. The next day, as he finished his chores and errands, his wife reminded him to get their Maryland Lottery games .

“I went out before dinner to get them,” said the 60-year-old project manager. “We always pick out three scratch-offs to bring home to scratch after dinner, so I took a look at the selection.” The $5 Gold Rush X20 game was among the instant tickets stocked by Carroll Food Mart in Middle River. “The Gold Rush ticket caught my eye right away. I remember seeing it often this past year. I thought that it might have a few big prizes left so I took a chance on it.”

Anthony went out to his truck to head home but stopped when a thought popped into his mind.

“We always scratch tickets at home, but something told me to do it there in the truck.” The first scratch-off was a $25 winner. The second instant ticket was a $50 winner. He had saved the Gold Rush X20 game to play next.

“For whatever reason, instead of thinking that after two wins there was no chance that the third could be a winner, I told myself that it was going to be for even more cash. I had no idea.”

The $50,000 match that the Baltimore County man uncovered sent him reeling. “I could not believe it. I had to go back in the store to make sure that my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me.” The top-prize winner that Anthony found leaves two still in play for the game that debuted in May 2019. His lucky retailer, which is located at 1 Carroll Island Road in Middle River, will receive a $500 bonus for selling a top-prize instant ticket.

As for Anthony and his wife, they’ve had a very fun week. “This has been the best medicine for whatever was ailing my wife,” he said.