10 February 2024 , 17:49
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Lottery ticket buyers are being told to triple-check any of their recent purchases because they could be holding onto thousands of pounds without even knowing it.
Today is the last day for gamblers in Louisiana to claim the prize as it edges closer to expiring. The Powerball ticket was drawn on August 14, 2023, but hasn't been claimed yet, National Lottery bosses have revealed. It didn't hit the full jackpot but won £80,000 with Match 4 plus Powerball.
Usually matching four balls and the Powerball would win you around £45,000, but the winner used Power Play to double their loot after the numbers 32, 34, 27, 39, 47, and 3 for the Powerball were drawn.
February 10 is the expiration date for the ticket. So if people recognise Murphy Express gas station in Denham Springs, about 25 minutes east of Baton Rouge, or have bought a ticket from there recently, they should get digging.
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The ticket was bought at a gas station last year (Google Maps)Lottery officials suggest making a photocopy of the front and back of a winner's ticket. If the winner finds their ticket before the day's up, they should rush to fill out a prize claim form and visit lottery headquarters.
The unclaimed money will end up in the Lottery's prize fund if it isn't given away by the end of the redemption period. It is not the first big money miss out some people have had in the US over the summer months.
A staggering £2million Powerball prize from a ticket sold at an Iowa alcohol retailer near the Illinois border still hasn't been claimed by anyone. The winner didn't match the Powerball number of 9, but they were able to match the first five white balls: 27, 33, 63, 66, and 68.
The mystery winner also doubled their £1million prize fund because they used the Power Play option on their purchase. Elsewhere in the country, there's two Mega Millions prices worth around £1.6million which also haven't been claimed in the Rhode Island area.
The first ticket was won from a February 2 drawing and bought at a Stop & Shop supermarket in Bristol. The player matched five of six numbers to qualify for a £800,000 payout. The winning numbers were 11, 22, 42, 64, 69, and the missed Mega Ball of 18.
Also, another Mega Millions winner, from a ticket sold on July 18, 2023, is yet to be claimed. The lucky - yet unknowing winner - matched five numbers out of 19, 22, 31, 37, 54, and the same missed Mega Ball of 18. According to Rhode Island Lottery officials, players have a year from the ticket's drawing date to claim their prizes.