Picking the right lottery numbers is the toughest step.
But Steps 2 and 3 are just as important: Realizing you've won and filing a claim.
Any chance you bought an evening Quinto ticket last Dec. 19 at A&C Johnson's News on West Passyunk Avenue in Philadelphia? Or a Powerball ticket on Dec. 27 at Dugan's Store in Jim Thorpe, Pa.?
You might have won $50,000 - if you can find the ticket and turn it in soon. Unclaimed prizes are good only for a year. (For numbers, see below.)
Donald Damon, 70, of Great Bend, Kansas, sure came forward quickly. On Thursday, he filed his claim to a huge Powerball prize - the day after the drawing.
"I wasn't sure how much I'd won," he said. "I figured it was $15 million. When they said it was $96.6 million, I about fell over."
Mega Millions, played in New Jersey and 11 other states, is waiting on several major recent winners.
A jackpot with an annuity value of $200 million was hit on Oct. 16 in Shenandoah, Va.
Last Tuesday, a $77 million pot was split by two tickets - one purchased in Union, N.J., the other in South San Francisco, Calif.
Here are the numbers to check on those unclaimed Pennsylvania prizes:
Quinto, Dec. 19, 2008: The $50,000 winner had all five of these numbers in the evening drawing: 5, 1, 8, 9 and 7.
Powerball, Dec. 27, 2008: The $50,000 winner had four of these numbers - 12, 15, 26, 31 and 43 - the Powerball of 10, and the Powerplay multiplier option, which was 5.
For more lottery information, go to www.philly.com/philly/news/lottery, www.palottery.state.pa.us, www.powerball.com or www.megamillions.com.
Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342 or pmucha@phillynews.com.
