LOTTERY officials have warned players to urgently check their tickets as a $200,000 prize will expire within days.
This huge Powerball prize in North Carolina could become void if the lucky owner doesn’t come forward in time.
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The ticket was sold at a gas station in Gaston County.
Players who bought a ticket at Murphy USA, off Lincolnton Highway in Cherryville, about 30 miles northwest of Charlotte.
This ticket was purchased for the November 11, 2023 draw, but the prize will expire on Friday, May 10.
Lottery officials shared that the winner must claim their prize before 5pm on that date.
The player matched the numbers on the drawn white balls and the red Powerball.
These lucky numbers were 1, 12, 14, 24, 57 and Powerball number 7.
The state lottery said this player beat odds of 913,129 to win the stellar prize.
North Carolina Education Lottery Executive Director Mark Michalko advised players on what to do as the expiration date approaches.
“Research wherever you keep your tickets and double-check that you have the winning ticket,” Michalko said.
“We hope whoever purchased this ticket comes forward to claim their prize soon so we can celebrate their big win with them.”
The winner must visit the NC Lottery headquarters in Raleigh as the prize is over $100,000.
An important note is that players cannot simply show up at the office as they must first complete an important step.
The process would begin online and the claimant must wait for follow-up instructions, which could take two to five business days, according to North Carolina Education Lottery.
So this lucky player must act fast to ensure he doesn’t miss out on the $200,000 prize.
Lottery Prizes: Lump Sum vs Annual Fee
Lottery winners have to decide whether they want to win a big prize as a lump sum or as annuity payments.
What is a lump sum?
- Lottery winners can accept a one-time cash payment.
- Although a winner would lose a portion of their payout in taxes, they would likely lose more over time with annual payments.
What are annual payments?
- Installments are paid as one immediate payment followed by a series of payments every year.
- This guarantees an inflow of money for years or even decades, but some winners worry that tax rates could increase over time.
This lottery player could face a difficult decision if he comes forward to claim his money.
Big lottery players can choose between a fixed amount of their prize or annuity payments.
The one-time payment, however, is subject to high fees and taxes, which often substantially reduces the gain.
One lottery player walked away with less than half of his winnings due to this decision.
Donnie Leviner won $2 million but walked away with $858,006 after fees and taxes were deducted.
The US Sun has reached out to the North Carolina Education Lottery for comment.
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