A $1 million Mega Millions® prize that is still unclaimed in Ames will hit the three-month mark tomorrow, and the Iowa Lottery is reminding its players to double-check their tickets. Seven other prizes ranging from $10,000 up to $250,000 also are unclaimed in Iowa!
The $1 million-winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased at Gateway Expresse, 2400 University Blvd. in Ames, for the game’s drawing on Sept. 6. It was the only ticket in the country that night to match the five white balls but miss the yellow Mega Ball to win at the game’s second prize level.
The winning numbers in the Sept. 6 drawing were: 6-17-46-59-68 and Mega Ball 2. The Megaplier® number was 4.
The winner or winners of the $1 million prize have until the close of business on Sept. 6, 2023, to claim it at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.
Gateway Expresse received a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $1 million-winning ticket.
Here are details about the seven other sizeable lottery prizes in Iowa that also are unclaimed (listed by prize amount):
| Game | Prize Drawing | Amount Won | Retailer | Expiration |
| Powerball | Oct. 15, 2022 | $250,000 | Murphy USA, Cedar Rapids | Oct. 16, 2023 |
| Powerball | Oct. 29, 2022 | $150,000 | Floyd Food & Fuel, Sioux City | Oct. 30, 2023 |
| Powerball | Nov. 5, 2022 | $150,000 | Hy-Vee C-Store, Sheldon | Nov. 6, 2023 |
| Powerball | Nov. 7, 2022 | $100,000 | Casey’s, Dubuque | Nov. 7, 2023 |
| Mega Millions | May 6, 2022 | $10,000 | Gas & Goodies, Libertyville | May 8, 2023 |
| Mega Millions | July 26, 2022 | $10,000 | Kum & Go, Marion | July 26, 2023 |
| Super 7s Instaplay | Dec. 3, 2022 | $10,000 | Haddy’s, Center Point | March 3, 2023 |
If the winners have questions before coming forward to claim the prizes, they are welcome to call the lottery at 515-725-7900 or email to wmaster@ialottery.com.
The lottery currently offers prize claims by appointment at its offices. Full details are available on the lottery’s website here.
In the last fiscal year (FY 2022), more than $1.5 million in lotto and InstaPlay prizes expired in Iowa without being claimed.
Time appears to be a factor. The Iowa Lottery reviewed plays from a sampling of recent lotto drawings and found that the vast majority of prize claims occurred within six months of the drawing date. Less than 3 percent of prizes from those drawings were claimed after that point. The Iowa Lottery will continue to review how it can best encourage and remind players to claim their prizes.
The money from lottery prizes that expire in Iowa without being claimed goes into the lottery's prize pools for future games and promotions, so it will be used to pay prizes, just not those prizes that have expired.
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