Powerball player falls one number short but still wins $1 million prize – officials are asking winner to come forward

LOTTERY players should check their tickets as a nearly $1 million Powerball prize has gone unclaimed.

A lottery ticket in California won $987,439 after nearly hitting the jackpot.

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While the ticket came just one number short of a $154 million prize, its owner still won big.

The ticket came from Buddies Market in the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco, according to the SF Chronicle .

The lucky numbers to look for are 23, 34, 37, 50, 58, and a Powerball of 7.

They were drawn on July 31.

Luckily, the winner has a full year to come forward.

But if they do not present their ticket to lottery officials in time, the state of California keeps the cash.

BIG WINNINGS

Powerball, like Mega Millions , is a national draw game – where players match ticket numbers to randomly drawn balls.

However, each state’s lottery has some control over the rules impacting players in their state.

In California, Powerball prizes are “pari-mutuel.”

That means the prize amounts vary depending on how many people buy tickets.

This time around, while the top prize was $154 million, the second prize was slightly under $1 million.

That’s for players who match 5 numbers but not all six.

Another Californian matched four numbers plus the “Powerball” number, meaning they won $22,868.

Thousands won smaller amounts, according to the lotto website .

Responsible gambling

Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
• National Council on Problem Gambling – https://www.ncpgambling.org/
• Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 1-800-522-4700 or go to ncpgambling.org/chat

MORE MONEY

A Massachusetts Powerball winner didn’t claim their prize until just weeks before the deadline.

But the eleventh-hour claim was still good enough to get them $1 million.

In Texas , a Mega Millions prize has gone unclaimed.

That ticket , worth $1 million, was bought at a gas station.

See how an anonymous ShopRite customer became a millionaire .

Someone won a $5.7 million ticket in Colorado.