A Maryland dad won a huge lottery prize — and he and his wife are keeping it a secret, he said.

The husband was coming home from a “long day at work” when playing the lottery popped into his mind.

“I was heading down the road and I said, ‘I’m going to play a few numbers,’” the man told the Maryland Lottery in a Dec. 21 news release.

The man originally planned to play other games before he chose to buy what turned out to be his lucky scratch-off ticket. He was in his vehicle when he checked the ticket and discovered how much it was worth.

“The excited player realized he won $50,000 and quickly looked around to see if anyone was watching,” lottery officials wrote. “Realizing no one had seen him, the winner hid the scratch-off.”

The winner said he was “in disbelief” after he visited a BP gas station in Gambrills, roughly 20 miles south of Baltimore. At the store, he had spent $20 on a ticket for the $50,000 Cash game.

After scoring the game’s top prize, the man went into another business to shop for holiday cards. Then when he got home, he handed the lucky ticket to his wife so she could learn the good news.

But the lottery player, who wasn’t identified in the news release, doesn’t plan to tell anyone else about his good fortune.

“Our winner said he is letting his wife decide how they will spend the prize but finishing off a bathroom renovation is probably on the to-do list,” lottery officials wrote.

The Maryland Lottery didn’t share how much money the husband kept after taxes but said he was from Anne Arundel County.

It’s not the first time a long day ended with a lottery win. Recently, a North Carolina woman had a winning lottery ticket waiting for her when she came home from work, McClatchy News reported.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

Lottery player relies on his late mom’s old numbers — and it pays off big in Maryland

Dad of 3 buys lottery ticket while Black Friday shopping — and wins big in Maryland