Iowa Lottery officials say a Powerball ticket worth $200,000 was sold in Council Bluffs several months ago and the prize still has not been claimed. Mary Neubauer, vice president for external relations at the lottery, says people need to check their wallets and purses.
Neubauer says it’s pretty unusual for a ticket of this size to still be out there for so long. The drawing was on Saturday, May 9th, so it’s been more than three months and no one’s come forward. Lottery officials are in Council Bluffs today to call attention to the unclaimed ticket.
She says the winner may be aware they’re a winner and they’re just taking their time about coming in to claim it, but it’s more likely the person has the ticket sitting on a dresser or in their glove box. Neubauer urges people to look around and see if they may have a ticket they never had checked, as "they might be a big winner." She says the ticket holder came very close to winning the multi-million dollar jackpot.
The ticket matched the first five numbers but not the Powerball — 4, 15, 32, 49, 58 and Powerball 21. The $200,000 ticket was sold at Eddy’s convenience store at 3434 Nebraska Avenue in Council Bluffs. The Iowa Lottery is placing a banner at the store that will remind ticketholders to check their numbers. The winner does have a full year to come forward.