US lottery prizes worth $1 million or more frequently go unclaimed

In the fiscal year ending June 2017, approximately 167 lottery prizes valued at $1 million or more went unclaimed in the United States. This was part of a larger $2.89 billion in total unclaimed winnings nationwide during that 12-month period.

One notable instance involved a $77.1 million Powerball ticket purchased in Tallapoosa, Georgia, on June 29, 2011. The ticket expired in December 2011 after the owner failed to claim it within the state’s 180-day window.

In California, unclaimed prizes have averaged between $40 million and $50 million annually over the last five to ten years. These expired funds are typically redirected to state programs, such as public schools, or returned to lottery prize pools.