A Powerball player in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, has yet to claim a $150,000 prize, and lottery officials are urging all players to check their tickets.
The winning ticket was purchased at the Blue and Gray Bar and Grill and matched four white balls and the red Powerball in the March 29 drawing. That combination usually earns a $50,000 prize, but because the player added the $1 Power Play option—tripling non-jackpot prizes—the payout increased to $150,000.
The winner was just one number away from claiming the full jackpot. The odds of matching four numbers plus the Powerball are approximately 1 in 913,000.
Officials are reminding the mystery winner to sign the back of the ticket and come forward before the prize expires. In Pennsylvania, players have one year from the drawing date to claim winnings.
The bar where the ticket was sold will receive a $500 bonus.
While the $150,000 prize is substantial, it will be reduced by taxes. Federal law requires a 24% withholding for prizes over $5,000, cutting the prize by about $12,500. Pennsylvania also levies a 3.07% state income tax on lottery winnings, which is among the lowest in the country.
By contrast, winners in New York can lose up to 10.9% of their prize to state taxes, with an additional 3.87% in New York City.
Some states—such as California, Texas, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, and Wyoming—do not tax lottery winnings at the state level.
Meanwhile, Mega Millions players are adjusting to several recent changes. The ticket price has increased from $2 to $5 as of April 5. The new rules also eliminate break-even $2 prizes, but now guarantee a minimum win of $10 for those who match the Mega Ball.
While the price hike has drawn criticism, the odds of winning the jackpot have slightly improved—from 1 in over 300 million to 1 in 290.4 million.
