Lottery players urged to check Powerball tickets after $50K ticket has gone unclaimed – winner narrowly missed jackpot

THE winner of a $50,000 Powerball prize has been urged to claim their cash.

It comes as a couple is searching for a new house after scooping $200,000 in the South Carolina Education Lottery.

Officials have asked the mystery $50,000 Powerball winner to contact them, as the clock is ticking to claim the cash.

They bought a Powerball ticket at a Circle K in Mount Pleasant shortly before the August 3 drawing, reported The State yesterday.

The ticket was purchased at the convenience store at 2846 Hwy. 17 N., near Charleston.

However, the lucky ticket-holder missed the jackpot by one number, according to lottery officials.

No one matched all six numbers to collect the Powerball jackpot.

The winning numbers for the August 3 night's drawing were 13, 33, 40, 60, 61, and the Powerball was 20.

"A ticket sold in Massachusetts matched all five numbers except for the Powerball worth $1 million," reported the Indy Star.

"And, a ticket bought in New York matched all five numbers except for the Powerball and added the Power Play worth $2 million."

The odds of matching four white ball numbers, plus the red Powerball number are just one in 913,129, according to SCEL officials.

"Check your tickets! More than 11,000 players in South Carolina hold tickets for prizes from $4 up to $50,000," they added last Monday.

Players have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prizes.

Their plea for the winner to approach them comes days after a Lowcountry woman won $300,000.

She bought a single lottery ticket - and dramatically changed her life just a few days after losing her job.

Here are the largest U.S. jackpots won and the states where the winning tickets were sold...

1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022 (one ticket, from California)

2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023 (one ticket, from California)

3. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023 (one ticket, from Florida)

4. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)

5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)

6. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine)

7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)

8. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024 (one ticket, Oregon)

9. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024 (one ticket, from New Jersey)

10. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023 (one ticket, from California)

Source: Associated Press

“I’m still in shock and extremely grateful. I’ve never won anything before," the anonymous woman said.

She had purchased a $10 lottery scratch-off, which has now given her a fresh start and the ability to buy a new house.

“It’s crazy how things worked out,” the winner added on August 1.

Meanwhile, a man who played the lottery at the Hot Spot convenience store in Easley is $200,000 richer.

“That was exciting,” he told officials on August 1.

“Now I’m just working and saving my money."

The man - who wasn't named - said he had been feeling lucky, so picked the $5 ticket at random in the store.

SCEL raises funds for education programs, and has also paid $168 million in commissions to retailers who have sold winning tickets over the past 22 years.