$1 Million Lost – Louisiana Powerball Winner Will Expire in Days
(KMDL-FM) Officials with the Louisiana Lottery have entered an area of trepidation involving two outstanding cash prize amounts that haven't been claimed. The prizes are a $50,000 Easy 5 winner and a $1 million Powerball winner. In a matter of days, those prizes could disappear without being claimed.
Both big wins happened in late April of this year. The Easy 5 winner came from the April 25th drawing. The Powerball winner came from the April 29th drawing. If you recall, that was the drawing where Powerball had a record number of million-dollar winners. Quite a few of them were in Louisiana.
Where Was the $1 Million Powerball Winner Purchased in Louisiana?
All of those million- or multi-million-dollar prizes from that huge weekend of winning have been picked up, except one. The outstanding one-million-dollar Powerball prize was sold in Baton Rouge at the Circle K on Jones Creek Road.
The ticket's purchaser matched all five of the white ball numbers that were drawn that night. The ticket missed the jackpot prize by one number; it did not match the red Powerball number that was drawn. Still, a $1 million return on a $2 chance is a pretty good return on the investment.
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This is assuming that cash that ticket in before the deadline. By the way, for a prize that large, you would need to contact a Louisiana Lottery Regional Office. The same can be said for the outstanding Easy 5 winner, which will expire soon too.
The Easy 5 $50,000 winner was sold at S Mart #1 in Rayville, LA. The ticket purchaser in that game for the April 25th drawing matched all five numbers drawn to win that prize.
What Happens To Lottery Prizes That Are Unclaimed in Louisiana?
When lottery prizes are not claimed, it's not all bad. It's really bad for the winner who missed out on the money, but for the rest of us, it's actually good news. Expired lottery winnings are returned to the Lottery's budget to be specifically used for enhanced prizes, player experiences, and other player benefits.
No, the lottery doesn't pocket the money and walk away quietly; it will invest it in new games or unique opportunities such as those that were offered in connection with the New Orleans Saints.
Saturday's Powerball Jackpot will be an estimated $440 million; that's for the annuity. Mega Millions, which draws on Friday, has a top prize listed at $321 million. Lotto from the Louisiana Lottery will draw for $700,000 on Saturday, and Easy 5 will offer a jackpot prize of $210,000 also on Saturday night.
READ MORE: Win $25,000 - No Purchase Necessary - Play Right Here
Remember, playing the lottery involves a risk of losing money. If you have a gambling problem, help is available at no cost to you or your family. Call 1-877-770-STOP (7867). The confidential call is free, and the referrals to counseling are offered at no charge. Good Luck.
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Gallery Credit: Bruce Mikells