COCKEYSVILLE, Md. – Two Baltimore County friends walked into Maryland Lottery headquarters Thursday with disbelief still written on their faces, claiming a $50,000 Powerball prize they never expected to win.

The pair, who only buy tickets occasionally, joined the rush when the jackpot soared past $500 million. They pooled their money in hopes of hitting the record-setting $1.8 billion prize but instead landed one of Powerball’s third-tier payouts.

One of the winners, a construction manager, admitted he was already planning to buy more tickets after learning the jackpot had rolled. His lottery partner, an interior decorator, was the first to spot the surprise prize.

“I checked it five or six times before picking up the phone, just to be 100% sure. Every time it said $50,000,” she said, r

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