In a dramatic turn of events that reads like a holiday miracle, an Indiana couple discovered they were $1 million richer after finding their winning Powerball ticket wedged between their car seats—just five hours before it would have become worthless.
Race against time
The anonymous Kendallville couple barely made it to the Hoosier Lottery Prize Payment Office in downtown Indianapolis before their ticket, purchased in June, reached its 180-day expiration deadline. According to lottery officials, the winning ticket was purchased at the Kendallville Finish Line on Professional Way.
The discovery
The couple revealed they had been aware of news coverage about an unclaimed winning ticket and had been searching for theirs, but it remained elusive until Christmas morning. Their eleventh-hour discovery turned what could have been a post-holiday disappointment into an extraordinary Christmas celebration.
This fortunate find comes as lottery fever grips the nation, with the Mega Millions jackpot currently soaring to $1.15 billion. The most recent drawing, featuring numbers 11, 14, 38, and 46, with Mega Ball 3, produced no grand prize winner, though five lucky players did claim $1 million prizes for matching the first five numbers.
The current Mega Millions jackpot ranks as the fifth-largest in the game’s history, following the record-breaking $1.602 billion prize won in Florida in 2023. While the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize stand at 1 in 24, substantial wins remain exceedingly rare.
Looking ahead
The next drawing for the massive jackpot is scheduled for Friday at 11 p.m. Lottery officials note that while holiday seasons typically see increased ticket sales, jackpots of this magnitude are unusual during this time of year.
This Christmas miracle serves as a reminder to lottery players everywhere to keep careful track of their tickets – and perhaps check between their car seats more often.