A Kendallville couple claimed their $1 million Powerball prize just five hours before expiration at the Hoosier Lottery Prize Payment Office in Indianapolis on December 26. The winners, who chose to remain anonymous, discovered the winning ticket in their vehicle on Christmas morning after an extensive search.

The ticket matched all five white balls (26, 51, 54, 61, and 69) from the June 29 drawing, missing only the red Powerball number 25. Had they matched the Powerball, they would have won the $115.5 million jackpot. The winners did not purchase the $1 Power Play option, which would have doubled their prize to $2 million.

The Hoosier Lottery launched an awareness campaign about the unclaimed ticket as the 180-day deadline approached. The winners noticed signs at their local gas station and news coverage about the unclaimed prize, prompting multiple searches for the ticket. They finally found it during an early morning search of their vehicle on Christmas Day.

The $1 million prize is subject to a 37% federal tax and Indiana's 3.05% state tax on lottery winnings.

Unclaimed lottery prizes remain a significant issue nationwide, with an estimated $3 billion in tickets going unclaimed annually. Notable unclaimed prizes include:

• 2011: $77 million Powerball jackpot (Georgia)
• 2013: $50 million Powerball ticket (Florida)
• 2022: $68 million Mega Millions ticket (New York)
• 2023: $46 million Mega Millions prize (Brooklyn)

Unclaimed prize money typically returns to state lotteries that contributed to the prize pool, funding future prizes or supporting state programs. Online lottery sales and digital ticket services help prevent unclaimed prizes by automatically crediting wins and storing ticket information.

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