BOSTON (CNN) — A Cape Cod man is a half a million dollars richer after cashing in on a winning lottery ticket in the nick of time.
Leonard Thomas, of South Dennis, claimed a $500,000 Powerball prize on Wednesday, a day before it was due to expire, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery.
Thomas purchased the winning ticket at the South Dennis Mobil on Route 134 last year and the winning numbers were revealed on Aug. 19, 2020.
Powerball and other draw game prize winners have one year from the date of the drawing to claim prizes.
“I heard about a Powerball ticket expiring on the radio and then my nephew told me,” Thomas said. “I play at that store and have a plastic sleeve that I keep my tickets in. When I heard about the expiring ticket, I looked through the tickets in the sleeve and found a Powerball ticket from Aug. 19, 2020. I had it scanned at a convenience store and the clerk indicated that I had to go to the Lottery to claim the prize.”
Thomas brought his dog, Mariah, to claim his prize at the Massachusetts State Lottery’s headquarters in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood. He plans to use his winning to buy a small house or year-round cottage.
“What a great reminder to our lottery customers! Always be sure to check your tickets and keep them in a safe place,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission.
Lottery prizes that expire become part of the net profit that the Lottery Commission returns to the state for distribution to all 351 cities and towns.
The winning numbers for the drawing were 13-23-47-55-58 with a Powerball of 23. Thomas’ “Quick Pick” ticket matched four of the first five numbers, plus the Powerball. Since his ticket included the “Power Play” option, and the Power Play multiplier for his drawing was 10, the base prize of $50,000 was multiplied 10 times for a total value of $500,000 before taxes.
For selling the winning ticket, the South Dennis Mobil has received a $5,000 bonus.
Starting Monday, Aug. 23, there will be Powerball drawings on Monday nights that join the current lineup of 10:59 p.m. drawings on Wednesday and Saturday nights.
Powerball tickets are $2 per play and the Power Play add-on feature is available for an additional $1 per play to multiply non-jackpot prizes.
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