PARKVILLE, MD—A Parkville woman won a $50,000 prize after she turned up at a local lottery store to buy a ticket, then decided to go to a different one.

The self-described “frequent” player said she enjoys the process of selecting a store, picking the game, and purchasing tickets. However, on August 3, she did something that made all of the difference: She went to a different store.

“I’m a scratch-off fan and a Bonus Match 5 fan, so those are the tickets I usually pick,” said the school system employee. “And, I go to four stores to get them. One store one day, another one the next,” – but that routine changed on August 3rd.

The woman went into Speedy Convenience at 7101 Darlington Drive (21234), where she bought a few instant tickets.

“I was about to leave when I noticed two dollar bills in my purse,” she said. Reversing course, she bought a $2 quick-pick Bonus Match 5 ticket for that night’s drawing. “It really came down to those two split-second decisions. It’s crazy.”

The first thing the lucky lady will do with her $50,000 top prize is tackle a few bills.

“After that, I have no idea. Something fun will pop into my head, I’m sure,” the woman said about the prize.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo via Pexels