Halloween candy stop earns man a $1 million Powerball prize

Nov. 4 (UPI) -- A Maryland man said running late and needing to buy Halloween candy led him to visit a store he otherwise wouldn't have gone to -- and win a $1 million Powerball prize.

The 58-year-old Bowie man told Maryland Lottery officials he stopped at the Giant store in Bowie because he needed to buy Halloween candy ahead of the holiday, but the store wouldn't have been his first choice.

"I wasn't actually going to go to Giant," the player said, "but I was in a hurry to get home."

The man bought 10 quick pick tickets for the Oct. 29 Powerball drawing while at the store.

The player said he checked his tickets the next morning after learning the $800 million jackpot hadn't been won, discovering he had scored a $1 million prize.

"It was on the last of the 10 tickets," he said. "I looked it up and this thing is saying $1 million!"

The player said he was in disbelief, so he had his brother double-check the ticket and confirm the win.

The man said his prize money will help him care for his elderly father.