Unclaimed Winning Tickets Were Sold in Northampton and Lawrence Counties

MIDDLETOWN, Pa., April 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Time is running out for the holders of two Pennsylvania Lottery tickets – a Powerball ticket worth $200,000 from the May 12, 2010, drawing and a Quinto mid-day ticket worth $50,000 from the May 11, 2010, drawing – to claim their prizes.

The tickets and prizes will expire one year from their drawing dates.

"One of our players could have a big winning ticket sitting on a desk, stashed in a closet or tucked into a coat pocket and not even know it," said Drew Svitko, Lottery interim executive director. "That's why we're asking anyone who may have purchased tickets a year ago at these locations to check their tickets again."

The soon-to-expire Powerball ticket correctly matched all five white balls, 37-51-52-53-58, but not the red Powerball 38, for a second-tier prize of $200,000, less 25-percent federal withholding. It was sold at Hess, 3283 Easton Road, Butztown, Northampton County.

The soon-to-expire Quinto mid-day ticket matched all five numbers in the order they were drawn, 3-2-1-5-9, for a top prize of $50,000, less 25-percent federal withholding. It was sold at Sheetz, 3450 Wilmington Road, Neshannock, Lawrence County.

The Pennsylvania Lottery encourages the holders of the winning tickets to sign the back of the tickets, call the Lottery at 717-702-8146 and file claims within the next two weeks at Lottery headquarters in Middletown, Dauphin County, or at any of Lottery's seven area offices. Claims may be filed at headquarters Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., and from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at area Lottery offices.

Unclaimed, expired lottery prizes remain in the Lottery Fund and are used to support programs benefiting older Pennsylvanians. Last fiscal year, the Pennsylvania Lottery contributed more than $23.6 million to programs that benefited seniors in Northampton County and more than $10.2 million for programs in Lawrence County.

How to play Powerball: Players pay $1 and select five white balls from the first set of 59 numbers plus a single red ball, the Powerball, from a second set of 39 numbers. Players may select their own numbers using a Powerball play slip, or they may opt for computer-selected quick picks. Players must match all five numbers drawn plus the Powerball number to win the jackpot. There also are eight additional ways for players to win a cash prize.

Powerball features an option called Power Play, for an extra $1 per Powerball play (game).  A player who matches five white balls and purchased Power Play wins $1 million. Other non-jackpot prizes are multiplied by the Power Play number drawn.

Powerball tickets are sold in 44 participating jurisdictions. Drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

How to Play Quinto: To play Quinto, players pay $1 and select a five-digit number from 0 through 9, and the same number can be selected more than once within the same game. Players may select their own numbers using a Quinto play slip, or they may opt for computer-selected quick picks. Players must match the five numbers drawn in the exact order drawn to win the jackpot. There also are 12 additional ways to win a cash prize.

About the Pennsylvania Lottery: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that designates all its proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since its inception 38 years ago, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed nearly $20.6 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates; free transit and reduced-fare shared rides; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state. The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds its players to play responsibly. Players must be 18 or older.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Lottery, visit www.palottery.com.

Media contact: Elizabeth Brassell, 717-787-6960

SOURCE Pennsylvania Lottery