AN UNCLAIMED winning lottery ticket has left officials desperately searching for the lucky player.
The ticket is worth a whopping $54,000 and marks the second time the jackpot has been won in a week.
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An Arizona lottery player managed to win the top prize on the Fantasy 5 jackpot game – but despite a winning ticket being sold no one has claimed it as of yet.
The lucrative ticket was purchased at the Cobblestone Auto Spa at 616 W. Baseline Road in Tempe.
It matched all five numbers in Tuesday’s bumper draw of 4, 5, 20, 32 and 40.
The player is urged to come forward as quickly as possible, as rules state they only have 180 days to claim the cash.
The odds of winning the top Fantasy 5 prize are an incredible 1-in-750,000.
But remarkably the jackpot was also won last Thursday.
The winner managed to pocket almost nine times more than Tuesday’s victor.
A ticket sold in Coolidge ended up being worth $473,000.
The reason for the major difference in prize money is due to the jackpot resetting back down to $50,000 after each win.
Fantasy 5 is a daily Arizona Lottery drawing.
Tickets cost just $1 per entry and can be purchased across Arizona at more than 3,000 retailers.
It comes as an anonymous Powerball player is also still sitting on a ticket worth $50,000.
After walking into a liquor store to grab some booze and a lottery ticket, the player walked away with a piece of paper worth a small fortune.
The US Sun recently reported that another Powerball search is underway for someone holding a $1 million ticket.
Chiefs in the Illinois Lottery are trying to find the person who purchased the ticket in Melrose Park.
The unclaimed Powerball ticket was drawn on December 21, 2024.
If the player does not come forward, then the money will not be given away, and they will lose their chance.
And there’s a lot to think about once you do come forward, namely how you want to receive your cash.
Players have the choice to take home the money as a lump sum or in annuity, as in portions.
There are pros and cons to both, if you take it in portions you can rely on a steadier income.
However, if you take it in one you don’t have to worry about losing some of it every year due to taxes, you can get it out of the way.
Lottery winnings: lump sum or annuity?
PLAYERS who win big on lottery tickets typically have a choice to make: lump sum or annuity?
The two payout methods can impact how much money you get from your prize.
Annuities pay out slowly in increments, often over 30 years.
Lump sums pay all at once but in a smaller amount, as taxes are withheld in one go. That means 24% of your prize goes to Uncle Sam right away. Many states tax winnings as well.
Annuities can provide winners time to set up the financial infrastructure required to take in a life-changing amount of money, but lump sums have the benefit of being taxed only once.
Inflation is also worth considering when making a choice, as payouts do not adjust with the value of a dollar. That means that you’ll likely be getting less valuable money towards the end of an annuity.
Each state and game pays out prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payment policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Experts have varying opinions on whether to take the lump sum or take the annuity.