NEED TO KNOW
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Lottery officials in Texas say a $78 million jackpot remains unclaimed and the deadline is only weeks away
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The winning ticket was purchased at Gordon’s Bait & Tackle back in November 2025
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The ticket holder chose the cash value option at the time of purchase, which would pay out $43,757,223.10 before taxes
Lottery officials in Texas have announced that a $78 million jackpot is still unclaimed — and the lottery prize’s expiration date is quickly approaching.
The lucky ticket was purchased at Gordon’s Bait & Tackle, a shop located in Brownsville, near the U.S.-Mexico border, for a Nov. 15 drawing, according to Lotto Texas. However, the player who purchased the ticket now has just over a month to come forward.
Texas Lottery rules state that winners have 180 days from the drawing date to claim their prize before unclaimed winnings are returned to the state for programs authorized by the Texas Legislature.
As it stands now, as of 5 p.m. local time on May 14, their winnings will be voided.
The ticket holder has already chosen the cash value option, which would pay out $43,757,223.10 before taxes
Credit: Shutterstock
Officials said in an announcement this week that at the time of purchase, the winner — whose ticket matched all six of the numbers drawn (7-17-23-28-39-48) — chose the cash value option, which would pay out $43,757,223.10 before taxes.
“To claim the prize, the ticket holder must call the Texas Lottery to make an appointment for processing and then present the ticket in person for validation at Texas Lottery headquarters,” officials said.
As officials noted in their press release, the deadline “may be extended,” but only for “certain eligible military personnel.”
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The Texas lottery is played by picking six numbers from one to 54. The game offers multimillion-dollar jackpots, and drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:12 p.m. local time.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling problem, please contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network at 1-800-522-4700 or go to gamtalk.org.
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