An Ohio man started the new year with an unexpected win after rediscovering a long-lost lottery ticket.
John, from Powhatan Point, bought a Powerball ticket on Sept. 23 — just one day before the next drawing, according to a news release from the Ohio Lottery. After tucking it into his pocket, he forgot all about it and only found it again during the final week of the year.
Once he spotted the ticket, John decided to check whether it was worth anything. He went to Tom’s Carry Out in Powhatan Point, where a clerk scanned the ticket while he picked up a bag of ice, lottery officials said.
The result stunned him: the ticket was a $50,000 winner. John matched four of the five white balls, plus the Powerball.
As it turned out, no one hit the estimated $127 million jackpot in the Sept. 24 drawing. Over the next three months, the jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.8 billion — the second-largest in Powerball history — and was eventually won on Dec. 24 by a single ticket purchased in Arkansas. The prize was recently claimed by a winner who chose to remain anonymous.
Sharon Strong, executive director of ASL, said in a statement that the winner “took the time to seek legal counsel and financial advice” as recommended by lottery officials before coming forward.
“We’re proud to celebrate this moment, not only for our Arkansas winner and for Murphy USA, the Arkansas-based company that sold the winning ticket, but also for the positive impact this historic jackpot will have on our state and our mission to raise funds for in-state scholarships,” Strong added.
Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. Tickets cost $2.
