If you bought a Powerball ticket with the numbers 1, 6, 7, 20, and 49 with a Powerball of 23 on or just before August 25 of last year at Playland Market in Rye, N.Y., you bought a winning ticket for $1 million.
But you'll have to hurry. The deadline to claim the prize is Sunday, and if no one steps forward, the money goes back into the lottery's prize pool, to be claimed by future potential winners.
It won't be for lack of trying on Playland Market owner Ralph Alfalahi's part. USA Today reports that Alfalahi's posted a sign with the winning numbers on it in his shop window in the hope that someone will have his or her memory jogged.
"I have no idea who it was," Alfalahi told the paper. "I wish I knew."
New York Lottery spokeswoman Christy Calicchia says that $28 million in lottery prizes have gone unclaimed in the first four months of this year. In 2012, a total of $65 million was left on the table by forgetful players. According to Calicchia, some players put the ticket through the wash, forget they bought it in the first place, or don't realize when there's more that one drawing prize.
For the record, the winnings amount to $662,000 after state and federal taxes, and wouldn't come close to the biggest unclaimed prize in New York lottery history. That honor goes to a $68 million Mega Millions ticket sold in Brooklyn in 2002.
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