Winner kept Lottery officials in suspense

By Kate Northrop

Texas Lottery officials are breathing a sigh of relief now that the winner of a $2 million Powerball prize has finally stepped forward to claim it just days before it was set to expire.

On Friday, nearly two weeks after the Lottery issued a notice that a $2 million Powerball prize was about to expire, one player finally came forward with the winning ticket to claim it.

Whether prompted by the multiple calls for action or simply aligning their finances before claiming the prize, the Austin-based player nearly waited until the last minute, stepping forward 12 days before the ticket expired. The winner elected to remain anonymous.

"We're very happy this Austin Powerball player realized they had the winning ticket and claimed their prize in time," Lottery Executive Director Ryan Mindell said in a press release. "It's always a good idea to check and recheck your Texas Lottery tickets to ensure you don't miss out on a prize you may have won."

The Powerball ticket, purchased at C Mart on Village Center Drive in Austin as a Quick Pick with the Power Play option, matched all five white ball numbers 6, 7, 12, 24, and 36 for the April 10, 2024 drawing. Although it matched the Power Play number 2 to double the $1 million prize to $2 million, it missed the red Powerball number 15 to win the entire jackpot.

Lottery players in Texas have 180 days from the draw date to claim prizes. Had the player not stepped forward at all, the prize would have expired on Monday, Oct. 7. Unclaimed lottery winnings in Texas are allocated to state programs as determined by the State Legislature.