Time's almost up for quarter-million Power Play prize

By Kate Northrop

There are just a few days left until a $250,000 Powerball lottery prize won in Michigan goes out the window, in addition to another major Lucky for Life prize expiring later this month.

Michigan players who often add the Power Play option to their Powerball tickets should check their glove compartments and drawers — a $250,000 prize is set to expire in mere days.

On Friday, the Michigan Lottery put out a last call for an unclaimed $250,000 Powerball prize, which had been boosted from $50,000 to $250,000 thanks to the Power Play option that was added to the ticket.

The winning ticket matched four white balls and the red Powerball number in the March 11, 2024 drawing, which were 1, 3, 7, 16, and 66, with Powerball number 5, to win the game's third-tier prize. Since the drawn multiplier was 5 that night, the prize was increased to $250,000.

Whoever has the ticket purchased it at the Kroger grocery store on Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills. They'll have to make an appointment to present it at Lottery headquarters in Lansing in order to claim the prize.

Players in Michigan have one year from the draw date to collect Powerball prizes. If no one steps forward by 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, the ticket will expire, and the winnings will go to the state School Aid Fund.

There's also not much time left to claim a $25,000 a year for life Lucky for Life prize in Michigan, which is set to expire later this month. That ticket matched all five white balls in the March 26, 2024 drawing — 18, 25, 34, 39, and 48 — but missed the green Lucky ball number 12 to win the game's $1,000 a day for life top prize.

That ticket was purchased at Merriman Drugs on 5 Mile Road in Livonia, and it will expire if not claimed at Lottery headquarters before 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26.

"I urge everyone who may have bought a Lucky for Life ticket at Merriman Drugs in Livonia to double check their tickets to make sure they aren't overlooking a big winner," Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli said in a press release.