A winning $1 million Powerball ticket sold in Texas will expire soon, the Texas Lottery says.
The second-tier winning ticket was purchased in Houston for the drawing held on July 19, 2023. The ticket will expire unless claimed by the Jan. 15 deadline.
If the ticket isn't claimed in time, the winner forfeits the prize money, and the cash is handed over to the state of Texas. Unclaimed prizes from all scratch and draw games are given to the state for programs authorized by the state legislature, including the Foundation School Fund and Fund for Veterans’ Assistance, which are the primary beneficiaries of the Texas Lottery.
Between 1991 and November 2023, the Texas Lottery said they transferred more than $1.57 billion in unclaimed winnings back to the state to be used for a variety of programs. That makes for a whopping average of $47 million in unclaimed winnings per year. So, check your tickets!
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“We hope to celebrate the Texas Lottery player who became a $1 million prize winner in the July 19, 2023 Powerball drawing,” said Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery. “We encourage our Powerball players to take another look at their tickets, and if your numbers match, sign the back of the ticket before claiming your prize at a Texas Lottery claim center.”
The ticket holder can either claim their prize in person at any Texas Lottery claim center or by mail. If the claim is made in person, it must be done by 5 p.m. on Jan. 12 since the lottery's offices are closed Monday, Jan. 15 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A claim by mail needs to be postmarked before the Jan. 15 expiration date and mailed to the claim center in Austin.
