Giant Jackpots: One Claimed, A Couple Still To Go

Here are answers to the questions we’ve gotten about the giant jackpots around the country in the past few months and whether they’ve been claimed.

Yesterday, the biggest of those jackpots was claimed by a player in California. A man named Edwin Castro claimed the world-record Powerball® jackpot from the drawing on Nov. 7. The annuity amount of the prize was $2.04 billion, but the man chose to receive his winnings in the lump-sum amount of $997.6 million.

Two other giant jackpots are still unclaimed, and I think it’s understandable that the players involved would take time before presenting the ticket. Any of us can envision the decisions you would want to make and the details to think through before claiming a prize of that size.

A Mega Millions® jackpot of $1.348 billion annuity ($723.5 million cash option), the second largest in the history of the game, remains unclaimed after being won on Jan. 13 with a ticket purchased in Maine.

And a Powerball jackpot of $754.6 million annuity, $407.2 million cash option, also is unclaimed after it was won in the game’s Feb. 6 drawing with a ticket in the state of Washington.

Here in Iowa, we’re tracking a $1 million Mega Millions prize that’s still unclaimed after five months. We continue to highlight it, hoping that we can jog the winner's memory in time for the prize to be claimed.

The $1 million-winning ticket was purchased at Gateway Expresse, 2400 University Blvd. in Ames, for the Mega Millions drawing on Sept. 6. The winner or winners have until the close of business on Sept. 6, 2023, to claim the prize at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.

Gateway Expresse received a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $1 million-winning ticket.

Comments

[Evan Rodamaker]

So if the big prizes don't get claimed the money should be put out to the State and go and help the 99 county to help the Law enforcement fire and EMS And all the non profit departments in the small towns that in the state that way they don't have to shutdown and Rely on a lot of donations by the public

[Joe Tarbox]

In regards to Powerball and Mega Millions game, I feel the lower winnings are too hard to win. I understand the challenge of winning it all should be more challenging, but the lower tiers should be amped up and easier to win. I believe if a person wins more often on the lower tiers,it's a good chance of playing more often than only when the jackpots are high. I also would rather see several big winners than 1 big winner. Make the games easier to win. Thanks,Joe