Deadline For Cashing In A $200,000 Powerball Ticket Is Thursday

Usually, it's true in a contest that you can't win if you don't enter. It's also true that you can't win if you don't remember that you entered and maybe that's what's

Wednesday, August 23rd 2006, 6:11 am

By: News On 6

Usually, it's true in a contest that you can't win if you don't enter. It's also true that you can't win if you don't remember that you entered and maybe that's what's happened with an unclaimed prize from the Oklahoma Lottery.

It's a wining ticket, that's about to be worthless.

News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan Mr. Bass is a Skiatook landmark, the last convenience store on the way to the lake, and a place for hunters to check their game. But these days, the game is the lottery and its old tickets they're checking - looking for one big winner.

Carla Gaddy with Mr. Bass: "They all think they still have it somewhere, or they've lost it, oh they swear they had it and they lost it, it's crazy the stuff they say."

The store sold a $200,000 winning ticket back in February. It's never been cashed in. People either think they had it and lost it, or they're sure they didn't win. Lottery player Ed Williamson: "I'm positive." Emory Bryan: "How many times have you checked?" Ed Williamson: "A bunch, no it wasn't my ticket."

People at Mr. Bass are still checking their tickets and with a little time left to go, they're hoping someone comes in with the winning ticket. With the prospect that a winning ticket might be in the trash somewhere - the clerks at Mr. Bass say they've seen a lot of old tickets coming through the door. It's a tantalizing possibility that someone doesn't know they have a ticket that - after taxes - would be worth $142,000.

Lottery player Amy Addington: â€œI'm still hoping it's in my floor board somewhere. I'll keep looking.â€ The winner matched 5 of the 6 numbers in the Powerball drawing held the same night the ticket was sold.

The regulars at Mr. Bass speculate it was someone just passing through - or maybe someone who misplaced the ticket. Unless the winner comes forward Thursday, it won't matter - that winning ticket - will be as worthless.

Several years ago a man in New Jersey had a winning ticket worth $46-million but didn't realize it until the day before the deadline. He read a news story like this one, checked an old ticket, and realized what he had. He mailed it in but it didn't arrive before the deadline. It was only because of the postmark that he was able to claim the money.

Here are the numbers for the February 25th drawing to check and see if you might have the ticket. They are 3-37-46-48-51 and the Powerball was 22.