Officials suspect that the $100 million winning Powerball ticket may either be misplaced or unknowingly kept in an everyday location, as the search for the mystery winner continues.
Despite the massive prize being drawn on June 12, the winner has yet to come forward two weeks later. The unregistered ticket was purchased at Bondi Junction Newsagency and Internet Cafe, which has prevented The Lott from directly contacting the winner.
Matt Hart, a spokesperson for The Lott, said that in past cases, division one winners had come forward months or even years later, often discovering the ticket had been in plain sight all along — like in a wallet, glovebox, or stuck to the fridge.
“With a prize this large, we’re very keen for this mystery player — now Australia’s third-biggest lottery winner — to realise their win and begin enjoying it,” Hart said.
A two-week provisional period applies before division one prize money can be paid out. Had the winner come forward in time, they could have received their $100 million winnings by Friday.
NSW residents have up to six years to claim lottery prizes, after which the winnings are forfeited.
“There’s still time — but the clock is ticking,” Hart warned.
Behind-the-scenes investigations are ongoing to track down the winner, but The Lott is encouraging anyone who bought a ticket from Bondi Junction Newsagency to double-check their entry and contact them immediately.
“We’re gathering all the details we can to help identify the winner, but we hope they check their ticket and reach out soon to begin the claims process,” Hart said.
He also reminded players of the benefits of registering their tickets with The Lott Members Club: “It’s free, easy, and ensures we can contact you directly if you win.”
The winning numbers for draw 1517 were: 28, 10, 3, 16, 31, 14, and 21, with the Powerball number 6.
The last person to claim a $100 million Powerball prize was a woman from Queensland, who won half of a $200 million jackpot in February last year.
The odds of winning Powerball’s division one prize remain extraordinarily slim, at over 134 million to one.
