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Washington Hit 5 winner forgot to check her ticket for months

$135,000 prize finally claimed!

Washington Lottery and Hit 5 logos on an abstract orange background.
Corinna Underwood

A few months ago, mother and master electrician M.B. was traveling home from work when she stopped to pick up some groceries at the Fred Meyer located at 4615 196th St SW Ste 175, Lynnwood. As she was leaving the store, she decided to buy a Hit 5 lottery ticket from the Lottery Vending Machine. She put it away safely and continued on her way home.

It wasn't until recently that her husband reminded her to check the ticket, which prompted her to return to the store and scan the ticket at the Lottery Vending Machine. M.B. was taken aback to see the words “See Lottery Regional Office” flash up on the screen. She was even more shocked when she realized that after all this time, she'd won a prize of $135,000.

She drove straight home, excited to share the great news with her husband and son. They were both thrilled when they saw how much she had won. With her winnings, M.B. was able to pay off her bills and is now debt-free.

How to play Hit 5

The Washington Lottery's Hit 5 is a draw game that costs $1 per play. To play, you must select five numbers between 1 and 42 and mark them on your play slip or choose a Quick Pick ticket to have your numbers chosen randomly by the computer.

With Advance Play, you can buy a ticket for up to twenty-five consecutive drawings. Drawings are held every night at 8 p.m. Pacific Time. Ticket sales are cut off every night at 7:45 p.m. and resume at 7:46 p.m.

The Cashpot (jackpot) starts at $100,000 and continues to grow until someone matches all five numbers to win. You have four chances to win. If you match two balls, you win a free Quick Pick ticket. If you match three balls, you win $15. Match four balls, and you win $150. If you match all five balls, the jackpot is yours.

The Washington Lottery Jackpot Games

As well as Hit 5, you can purchase these other jackpot draw games from the Washington Lottery:

  • Mega Millions
  • Powerball
  • Lotto
  • Match 4
  • Pick 3
  • Cash POP
  • Daily Keno

You can also choose from more than 50 instant win games with prices from $1 up to $30 and top prizes of $2 million.

How the lottery helps Washington

For almost 40 years, the Washington Lottery has continued to make a difference by donating money to support community programs throughout the Evergreen State. In 2023 alone, those funds amounted to over $217 million. Part of this money enabled more than 29,572 students to attend college. It also provided $40 million to the state's Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program.

Enjoy playing the Washington Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.

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