Someone is one step away from claiming $139 million — or from losing it all
By Kate Northrop
A $139.3 million Powerball lottery jackpot, won by a single ticket in Ohio, is set to expire at the end of 2024.
Whether someone still has a $139.3 million winning Powerball lottery ticket in their possession means the difference between instantly becoming a multi-millionaire and losing out on what could have been an entirely different life.
There is less than a month on the clock for the lone Ohio winner to claim an enormous amount of cash before it's gone for good. If no one steps forward by December 30, 2024, the winning ticket will expire.
The winner purchased the Quick Pick Powerball ticket at Walmart Supercenter #1495 on Brandt Pike in Huber Heights, and it held all six winning numbers for the July 3, 2024 drawing: 2, 26, 33, 55, and 57, with red Powerball number 22.
If the lucky ticketholder does present the winning ticket to the Ohio Lottery, they will have the option of taking the $139.3 million jackpot as an annuity or a cash option of $66.5 million.
Readers should note that although the Ohio Lottery has stated the value of the jackpot as $138 million, the final jackpot tally for the July 3 drawing was $139.3 million after all proceeds were counted. The correct amount is published at both USA Mega and Lottery Post.
According to USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis, after all federal and state taxes are deducted the winner will receive $84.1 million in 30 payments over 29 years if they choose the annuity, or $39.6 million all at once if they choose the cash option.
The Ohio Lottery advises Powerball jackpot winners should call their nearest Lottery regional office to make an appointment to submit the claim.
If the jackpot remains unclaimed, it will be distributed back to all participating jurisdictions and their respective funds based on their percentage contribution to the drawing in ticket sales.
The next Powerball annuity jackpot estimate for the drawing on Wednesday, Dec. 4 currently stands at $240 million.
Powerball is played in 45 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com). The USA Mega website provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States's two biggest multi-state lottery games, Mega Millions and Powerball.
Perhaps it is being given as a gift to open for Christmas ? Nehhhhhh, it's lost.
bought during the summer. check the garage and see if it got placed in a bin of summer stuff, like camping or swimming gear.
Count me out. Last time I was in that store was April.
Omg, they will sure be cheesed if someone from Michigan ( Go Blue) wins it.
Imagine locating the ticket 2 days after the expiration, dang!!
I would never forgive myself.
Hoping the winner is putting their house in order before collecting the prize and that the ticket is not necessarily lost 😔
l don't understand why this is getting so much attention while the two tickets bought in Encino California $395,000,000 Mega million in the same store is about to expire only one has been claimed
It was bought on December 8th 2023 . Out of the two mysterious two tickets sold at same store only one has been claimed with no press conference. One week left for the remaining $197,500,000
Maybe they are upset and give up because they wil get 40 m instead of 139m...
I wonder how many big jackpots go unclaimed? Would be interesting to know what happened if someone tried to claim it after expiration date (some states are 180 days). Would they have a legal claim?
Wild stab in the dark.
I someone tries to claim a win with an expired ticket they will be refused.
The rules clearly state that there is an expiry date. Once the expiry date has been reached, the ticket is no longer a "bearer asset". It is just a piece of paper.
The "lottery" has (probably) an obligation to publise that there is an outstanding ticket and that it will expire on date X. (And maybe make a "reasonable effort" to have the winner come forward), But if the winner can't come forward before the ticket expires.. tough.
they have no legal obligation to pay, and probably legal reasons why they can't pay.
And note that any single state trying to pay will find itself having to pay the whole amount because the other states will be calling in their share of the pool after the ticket expires.