As Powerball fans await tonight’s $1.4 billion drawing, some Maryland lottery players are celebrating somewhat smaller jackpot wins, including a Harford County woman who notched a half-million dollars.

The Powerball jackpot has been rolling over since May 31. State lottery officials said Powerball ticket sales in Maryland have topped $41.1 million since then and players have won over $10 million in prizes from the tickets. Of those, 27 tickets were worth more than $50,000.

Two $1 million winning tickets were sold in Baltimore and Catonsville. There were three tickets that won $500,000 each, including two tickets that belonged to a single player, who purchased them in Landover and Riverdale, and the one claimed by the Harford woman.

On Aug. 27, at the Maryland Lottery headquarters in Middle River, the woman collected her $500,000 prize after entering the Powerball Double Play drawing.

She opted to remain anonymous to the public, as lottery winners are allowed to do in Maryland, instead using the moniker “Brown Eyed Girl” to claim her prize.

The Harford resident dedicated her lottery win to her late father, who left a legacy of playing lottery ticket games and winning. She has continued this tradition since her father’s passing — and now carries on the family’s winning streak.

The woman expressed gratitude not only to her father but also to the extra $1 she spent to enter the game’s Double Play drawing at Bernie’s Liquor, where she purchased the winning ticket.

“My father really enjoyed playing the lottery,” said the retired administrative assistant. “He had so much fun playing that he would have continued even without the wins.”

Powerball drawings are held Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights, with tickets costing $2 each. If a Double Play option is added for an additional $1, the player’s $3 ticket becomes eligible for both the Powerball drawing and the Double Play drawing that takes place 30 minutes after the main drawing.

Brown Eyed Girl’s ticket matched the five black balls in the drawing, resulting in a $500,000 win.

“This is such a blessing, though I still find it difficult to believe it really happened, even now,” the woman said. “I cried when I realized that I’d won.”

The Powerball jackpot has been rolling over since May 31. State lottery officials said Powerball ticket sales in Maryland have topped $41.1 million since then and players have won over $10 million in prizes from the tickets. Of those, 27 tickets were worth more than $50,000.

Two $1 million winning tickets were sold in Baltimore and Catonsville. There were three tickets that won $500,000 each, including the one purchased by the Harford resident. The other two tickets belonged to a single player, who bought tickets in Landover and Riverdale.

The drawing for tonight’s jackpot, which ranks as the fourth largest in the Powerball game, is at 10:59 p.m. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

Have a news tip? Contact Journey Burris at jburris@baltsun.com.