A Powerball ticket worth a substantial prize remains unclaimed in Louisiana, and the clock is ticking. The winning ticket, drawn in mid-December 2024, matched four white balls (09, 30, 33, 57, 61) and the Powerball (17), with a Power Play multiplier of 2x. But unless the winner steps forward by June 14, 2025, the prize will expire forever.
$50,000 Prize Still Unclaimed After 5 Months
As of May 17, 2025, the prize has been sitting unclaimed for more than five months. Under Louisiana Lottery rules, prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date. That puts the final claim deadline at June 14.
This means the winner has less than a month to come forward and claim their money before it is forfeited.
What Happens If the Winner Doesn’t Claim It?
If the prize is not claimed, the money doesn’t go to waste. Instead, it is transferred to the Louisiana Lottery’s unclaimed prize fund. These funds are used to support future lottery promotions, bonus draws, and player incentives, so other Louisiana players still benefit.
How to Claim the Prize
To claim the prize, the ticket holder must present the original winning ticket in person at any Louisiana Lottery regional office or at the Lottery’s headquarters in Baton Rouge before the June 14 deadline.
Where Was the Ticket Purchased?
Lottery officials have not yet released the exact location where the winning ticket was sold, which means it’s possible the winner is unaware of their lucky numbers. If you bought a Powerball ticket in Louisiana last December, now is a good time to check your wallet, drawers, or even your glovebox.
Unclaimed Prizes Across the U.S.
Louisiana isn’t alone in having unclaimed December lottery wins. Here are other tickets still awaiting their winners:
- Louisiana Mega Millions ticket worth $40,000, expiring June 15
- Arizona lottery ticket worth $10,000, also expiring June 15
- Colorado ticket worth $10,000, expires June 22
- Another Colorado ticket worth $30,000, expires June 25
Across the U.S., millions in lottery winnings go unclaimed every year. Forgetting to check your ticket—or misplacing it altogether—is surprisingly common.
Odds and How Powerball Works
Powerball is a national lottery game played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Players choose five white balls from a set of 69 and one red Powerball from 26. The odds of hitting the jackpot? A staggering 1 in 292,201,338.
Even matching four numbers and the Powerball, like in this unclaimed prize, is rare and valuable.
Time is quickly running out for the lucky Powerball winner in Louisiana. If you bought a ticket for the December 2024 draw, double-check your numbers now. That ticket could be worth $50,000, but it will vanish forever if it’s not claimed by June 14, 2025. And if you know someone who regularly plays the lottery, give them a nudge—they could be sitting on a small fortune and not even know it.