Lottery officials have issued a warning as a $150,000 Powerball prize remains unclaimed in Kentucky. The winning ticket was bought Monday night at a gas station in Hopkinsville, about 70 miles from Nashville, Tennessee.
The player matched four numbers plus the Powerball. Normally, this would win $50,000. But the winner used the Power Play option, which tripled the prize to $150,000, according to NBC affiliate WNKY-TV.
Kentucky lottery officials stressed that winners have 180 days from the draw date to claim their prizes. They urged players to sign the back of their tickets and keep them safe. Winners must book an appointment at the lottery headquarters in Louisville to claim prizes.
The next Powerball draw will take place on February 26. The jackpot was not won in the latest draw and has rolled over to an estimated $233 million, with a cash value of $106.6 million.
Seven players matched four numbers plus the Powerball, but only two used the Power Play to win $150,000. The Power Play multiplies non-jackpot prizes. One player matched five numbers, with their ticket purchased at a Publix store in Florida.
More than 180,000 players matched only the Powerball and won $4 each, while 354 players matched four numbers to win $100 each.
So far in 2025, there has been just one Powerball jackpot winner. Abbas Shafii, 79, from Oregon, won $328.5 million on January 17 and claimed the prize a month later. He chose a lump sum payment of $146.4 million before taxes.
Winners must pay a 24% federal tax on prizes over $5,000. State taxes may also apply, depending on where the ticket is purchased.
