Powerball warning to check numbers as $150k sum won – spending just one extra dollar meant prize tripled

ONE lucky lottery player has won over $100,000 from a Powerball ticket, but they may not know it yet.

The ticket could have been worth $50,000, but the player’s decision to spend $1 more meant their prize money was tripled to $150,000.

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Players have been urged to check their tickets to see if the prize money could be theirs.

The winning Powerball ticket was sold in Pennsylvania last month for a Saturday drawing.

Four out of the five numbers were correct on the winning ticket, as well as the Powerball on June 26, according to CBS affiliate WTAJ-TV .

The winner had Power Play (3) active, meaning that by spending just $1 extra they tripled their winnings.

Without Power Play, the ticket would have been worth $50,000 instead.

Power Play is an added feature that gives players the opportunity to increase their prize winnings for just $1 more per play.

There are different tiers of the Power Play system and players can choose to multiply their non-jackpot winnings by 2, 3, 4, or 5 times.

With the Power Play option, the second prize will always be $2,000,000.

Two other winners lost out on this additional money by failing to choose the Power Play option.

More than 30,000 other players won between $4 and $500, according to the Lottery .

Monday’s Powerball jackpot was estimated to be worth $144 million.

But Tuesday’s Mega Millions draw is worth even more.

Lottery players have the chance to win up to $331 million dollars this evening.

Powerball players typically have between 90 days and a year to claim their winnings, but lottery officials suggest players check the numbers on their tickets as soon as possible.

This is not the only lottery prize money that has not yet been claimed in Pennsylvania.

A Cash 5 with Quick Cash ticket from a drawing on July 7 is currently still up for grabs.

The ticket worth $150,000 was bought in a Giant Eagle store and matched all five of the numbers drawn.

Lottery winnings: lump sum or annuity?

Players who win big on lottery tickets typically have a choice to make: lump sum or annuity?

The two payout methods can impact how much money you get from your prize.

Annuities pay out slowly in increments, often over 30 years.

Lump sums pay all at once but in a smaller amount, as taxes are withheld in one go. That means 24% of your prize goes to Uncle Sam right away. Many states tax winnings as well.

Annuities can provide winners time to set up the financial infrastructure required to take in a life-changing amount of money, but lump sums have the benefit of being taxed only once.

Inflation is also worth considering when making a choice, as payouts do not adjust with the value of a dollar. That means that you’ll likely be getting less valuable money towards the end of an annuity.

Each state and game pays out prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payment policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.

Experts have varying opinions on whether to take the lump sum or take the annuity .

The winning numbers were 15, 20, 23, 25 and 29.

Meanwhile, a winning Powerball ticket from the July 6 drawing has also gone unclaimed.

The ticket was worth $100,000, according to the Pennsylvania Lottery.

This player also chose the $1 Power Play option, which doubled the initial prize money of $50,000.

Meanwhile, the drama surrounding the largest Powerball win in US history is still rolling on as Edwin Castro’s rival Jose Rivera continues to put his name on the win.

Rivera made a brazen claim about the pictures shared of the winning ticket when speaking exclusively to The U.S. Sun as he refuses to drop his case against Castro.

Castro’s team has strongly denied claims that he cashed in a stolen ticket.

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