A lottery player’s chance of becoming a multimillionaire vanished overnight, prompting fellow players to issue a warning.
In the summer, a $138 million Powerball ticket was purchased, but the winner never arrived to collect the prize.
The prize has now officially expired, and the ticketholder, who may not have known they had won, now has no claim to the money.
The Powerball ticket was purchased on July 3, 2024, at a Walmart in Huber Heights, Ohio.
After purchasing an auto-pick ticket at the Supercenter, the player’s slip matched all five numbers and the Powerball number from the draw.
To win the jackpot, the player outperformed the odds of one in 292,201,338.00.
This netted them $138 million, or $65.5 million in cash.
However, according to Powerball and state rules, winners only have 180 days to claim their prize.
With the deadline now passed, the funds will be transferred to a fund for expired prizes that benefit education in the state.
The loss of the life-changing fortune has stunned fellow lottery players.
“I could not [imagine] because I am very OCD and I can produce a receipt for a shirt that I bought like 10 years ago,” one player told Nexstar’s WJW.
“I would never lose such an item.
“I could not imagine losing that, that type of money and that opportunity.”
While many were perplexed as to how someone could make such a mistake, one Cleveland Cavaliers player was more understanding and chastised lottery officials.
“I kind of do the same thing.” My girlfriend becomes angry with me. “She finds old tickets,” the player explained.
“I think they should let it go for a little longer, and let the guy claim it.”
2024 Powerball Jackpot Wins
- Jan. 1, 2024 – $842.4 million – Michigan
- April 6, 2024 – $1.326 billion – Oregon
- May 6, 2024 – $214.9 million – Florida
- June 10, 2024 – $226.6 million – New Jersey
- July 3, 2024 – $139.3 million – Ohio
- Aug. 12, 2024 – $213.8 million – Pennsylvania
- Aug. 19, 2024 – $44.3 million – California
- Oct. 23, 2024 – $478.2 million – Georgia
- Dec. 7, 2024 – $256 million – New York
Another player cautioned: “Don’t forget: When you buy the tickets, look at them.”
Such advice will come in handy tonight, when the next Powerball drawing is held.
Saturday’s jackpot is estimated to be $200 million, with a cash value of $89.5 million.
The last Powerball jackpot, worth $256 million, was won in New York on December 7.
Meanwhile, two lucky lottery players began the year on a high note, winning millions on New Year’s Day.
Mega Millions players have also been urged to double-check their tickets to avoid losing a million-dollar jackpot.
