News writer
A lucky Powerball player in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, has one month to claim their $250,000 winning ticket. After that, it's gone.
On March 11 last year, an unknown player purchased a winning Powerball ticket at a Kroger store at 4099 Telegraph Road. Now, almost a year later, they’ve yet to claim their prize. The winner has until March 11, 2025, at 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time, to come forward and collect their winnings.
Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli said:
I am urging all Michiganders to check any Powerball tickets they have purchased to ensure that they aren't missing the chance to claim this Powerball prize.
The winning ticket in Bloomfield Hills matched four white balls and the Powerball during the March 11, 2024 draw. The winning numbers were 01-03-07-16-66 and Powerball 05, which landed the winner a $50,000 prize. A Power Play brought the winnings up to $250,000. The odds of winning the $50,000 prize are 1 in about 913,000, while the odds of winning a 5x Power Play multiplier are 2 in 43.
Unclaimed winnings are often diverted to charitable causes. If the winner isn't found, the $250,000 in Bloomfield Hills will be donated to public schools. Shrekli stated:
While I am hoping someone does come forward to claim this prize, if it goes unclaimed, it will provide a boost to the Lottery's School Aid Fund contribution.
Astounding jackpot wins go unclaimed every year. In Michigan alone, there were five unclaimed prizes between $110,000 and $1 million last year. In October 2024, a whopping $1.128 billion Mega Millions prize went unclaimed for nine months in New Jersey before it was finally picked up by an anonymous player. In December 2024, a $256 million Powerball ticket went unclaimed in New York. The money was donated to schools and lottery retailers.
To avoid losing a life-changing $250,000, the Michigan winner should immediately contact the Lottery Player Relations Division at 844-917-6325 and schedule an appointment. The prize must be claimed in person at Lottery headquarters in Lansing, Michigan.
Missed wins can usually be tracked to lost tickets or neglecting to watch winning draws. Players are encouraged to keep their tickets someplace safe and to sign them to ensure they're not claimed by someone else. By playing Powerball or other games online at the Michigan Lottery website or on courier sites, players avoid losing physical tickets and receive an alert on their devices if they win.
Powerball drawings in Michigan take place at 10:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Powerball tickets are $2 at in-person lottery retailers in Michigan and on the Michigan Lottery website. Increase prize amounts by adding a Power Play option for $1, which multiplies winnings up to 10 times, with a maximum of $2 million. Double Play gives players a second chance to win up to $10 million in a separate Double Play drawing for $1.
Michigan players can also play hundreds of games online and through retailers, from Mega Millions to Lucky 7's to Instant Riches.
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