Pictured: A Powerball ticket. (Credit: Shutterstock)

There’s an Unclaimed Winning Powerball Ticket Out There

Originally posted on Action Network | By Dave Grendzynski | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 7:20 AM ET

Hopefully, this doesn’t turn into a million-dollar mistake.

A Powerball player in California needs to act fast to claim almost $1.4 million, with the winning ticket from a December drawing set to expire today, June 16, according to the California Lottery.

This unclaimed fortune presents a unique opportunity for one lucky ticket holder, but time is of the essence. This situation is similar to one in Virginia last month, when a million-dollar Mega Millions ticket went unclaimed.

It also took a little while for a Mega Millions winner in Illinois to claim their ticket earlier this year.

The Winning Powerball Ticket Bought in December

In the December 18 drawing, the ticket buyer matched five out of six numbers, securing a substantial win of $1,391,550.

The winning numbers were 6, 15, 18, 33, and 49, with the Powerball number being 7. Furthermore, the Power Play was set at 2x. This potentially life-changing ticket was purchased at an ARCO gas station at 4224 Marconi Ave. in the Arden-Arcade neighborhood of Sacramento.

If the prize goes unclaimed, the funds will benefit public schools across California, in accordance with state regulations.

The last time something like this happened in California was when two Mega Millions tickets correctly matched all six numbers in the Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, drawing.

Faramarz Lahjani claimed one-half of the $395 million jackpot, but the other half went unclaimed.

What To Know About Powerball

Powerball is a popular lottery game played in 45 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

To win the jackpot, a player must correctly match all five white balls and the red Powerball. The odds of winning the grand prize are a staggering 1 in 292,201,338. Players can purchase tickets on the day of the drawing, although sales end at varying times depending on the state.

The drawings are held three times a week—Saturdays, Mondays, and Wednesdays—at 10:59 p.m. ET, with live broadcasts and online streaming available.

Unclaimed Lottery Tickets Not Uncommon

Unclaimed Powerball prizes are common, with millions in winnings going uncollected each year because winners forget, misplace tickets, or don’t realize they’ve won. For example, a $138 million prize in Ohio went unclaimed, so the state kept about $1.9 million, which will help fund education.

Powerball lottery ticket with blank numbers to fill in. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock

Other notable unclaimed lottery jackpots include:

In 2023, someone won a $44 million Florida Lottery but didn’t claim it in time. The gas station that sold the ticket even put up a sign to find the winner, but no one showed up.
In 2006, a $46 million Mega Millions jackpot in New York went unclaimed. The money went back to New York’s prize pool because the winner never came forward.
In September 2002, a $51.7 million Powerball prize in Indiana was left unclaimed. The ticket was bought near the Indianapolis Airport, but despite various efforts, no one came to claim it. Luckily, another winner in Pennsylvania got their share of the total $103 million jackpot.
In 2002, on Christmas Eve, a $68 million Mega Millions jackpot in New York wasn’t claimed. A year later, a man tried to claim it by saying his ticket was lost, but he didn’t succeed.
A $77 million from a Powerball ticket in Georgia in June 2011. The ticket expired after 180 days as the winner never came forward, and they missed out on the money.

Many states handle unclaimed lottery money similarly. In Florida and New York, unclaimed winnings support good causes, like educational programs. Powerball winners have a set time to claim prizes, ranging from 90 days to a year, depending on the state.

Overall, billions in lottery winnings go unclaimed each year. States divide unclaimed funds based on ticket sales and use the money for public programs, such as education and aid for veterans or the homeless. This information is often available on state lottery websites.

Final Countdown to Powerball Deadline

If you have a Powerball ticket bought in the Arden-Arcade area, it’s important to check your numbers quickly because there might be a $1.4 million prize waiting for you. Make sure to look at your ticket as time is running out.

In California, it is public record to know who sold a winning Powerball, Mega Millions or California Lottery ticket, who won the prize and whether it was claimed.

This situation highlights the importance for all lottery players to regularly check their tickets and stay updated on any potential winnings.

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