It might be mind-blowing to know just how many unclaimed winnings are out there right now in Powerball.
Some Powerball players inadvertently misplace their tickets and forget to check their numbers. Sometimes it's a one-time oversight, while others just get in the habit of not winning that they become lax about checking the winning numbers. And in most of those scenarios, the lost or forgotten tickets aren’t winners. But there are more unclaimed winnings out there than you might think, ranging from smaller payouts to $1 million Powerball jackpots. If you come across one of your lost tickets, it’s worth checking. It would be a crying shame to pass up a chance at winning $50,000 or more because you forgot to check the drawing. Here are some unclaimed winnings that Powerball players would be kicking themselves for overlooking.
How Could You NOT Claim $51.7 Million?
One of the largest unclaimed winning jackpots came about in September 2002, when a $51.7 million prize hit big. The ticket had been purchased near the Indianapolis International airport and was one of two winning tickets drawn for that game. The other winner came forward and was from Pennsylvania. But this particular Powerball player never showed. The Indiana Lottery office even tried airing commercials and holding public events in an attempt to find the winner. Unfortunately, no one came to claim the jackpot, and the prize expired. Even after taxes, the take-home for this particular unclaimed winning could have been a life-changing amount.
One of Largest Unclaimed Jackpots
Another monster Powerball prize that went unclaimed hails from Georgia in a drawing back in June of 2011. Whoever bought the ticket at the Tallapoosa, Georgia truck stop never did come forward. And in the end, the whopping $77 million jackpot, which became the state’s most significant unclaimed winning, expired without a claimant. Hopefully, whoever held the winning ticket for that jackpot never found out about the missing prize. It would be enough to send someone into therapy, knowing a Powerball-playing oversight cost him or her a cool $77 million.
Several Unclaimed Powerball Games in Missouri Alone
Not all unclaimed winnings are multi-million-dollar jackpots. A general online search pulls up a list of other prizes, yet unclaimed, listed by purchasing state. And there are four sizable payouts awaiting winners in Missouri alone, including a $150,000 winning ticket purchased as a Short Stop in Fulton. Another $50,000 Powerball prize, purchased at Richey’s Club in Kansas City, is sitting in wait, as well. Other recently purchased, unclaimed prizes in MO include a $50,000 winner purchased at Cosentino’s Price Chopper in St. Joseph and another $150,000 ticket bought at Haymakers in Taylor.
The Latest Unclaimed Powerball Prizes
If you’ve purchased a Powerball ticket in Iowa, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Kansas, or Illinois this year and forgot to check your numbers, you might be missing a prize. Powerball offers a roster of unclaimed winnings for players to reference, sharing the purchasing store, the prize amount, and date of purchase. There are smaller, $1,000 Powerball payouts waiting to be claimed. And other amounts, ranging from $50,000 to $1 million, are hanging in the balance. Powerball prize expiration will vary depending on the purchasing jurisdictions and range anywhere from 90 days up to one full year. It’s worth digging out your ticket to double-check the winning numbers. And who knows, you might be a Powerball winner!
If you get in the habit of playing Powerball, don’t forget to follow through on protecting your ticket and checking your numbers. There’s not likely anyone who wants to give up $1,000, $100,000, or $1m by choice. And you don’t want to be like one of these past Powerball-playing individuals, who overlooked a cash payout and missed out entirely on a serious, bank account infusing jackpot.