$200,000-WINNING POWERBALL® TICKETS SOLD IN
COUNCIL BLUFFS, DAVENPORT STILL UNCLAIMED

For media-ready jpeg image of Lottery CEO Terry Rich putting up a banner about the unclaimed prize in Council Bluffs click here.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Iowa Lottery is searching for the players who have won several big prizes but might not know it yet. The biggest of the unclaimed prizes were won on Powerball® tickets purchased at opposite ends of the state.

A $200,000-winning Powerball ticket purchased in Council Bluffs remains unclaimed along with a $200,000-winning Powerball ticket purchased in Davenport. Numerous other lotto prizes of up to $20,000 also remain unclaimed in Iowa, and lottery officials are reminding players to double-check their tickets.

Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich talked with customers and put up a large banner Tuesday at the Council Bluffs convenience store that sold one of the unclaimed $200,000-winning tickets.

"We're spreading the word that these winning tickets are still out there," Rich said. "So wherever you keep your tickets, double-check them. Some big prizes are on the line."

Rich said that as the Powerball jackpot continues to climb, the added attention that lotteries receive provides opportunity to remind people about the significant prizes involved in lottery games.

"The Powerball jackpot always gets attention, and with it climbing to an estimated $186 million for Wednesday's drawing, it's easy to see why," Rich said. "But there are numerous other prize levels in our games, so be sure to check your tickets for those as well."

The Council Bluffs ticket was sold at Eddy's, 3434 Nebraska Ave., for the Powerball drawing on Saturday, May 9. It came close to winning it all, matching the first five numbers but missing the Powerball to win a $200,000 prize. The winning numbers that night were: 4-15-32-49-58 and Powerball 21.

The Davenport ticket was sold at Hy-Vee Gas, 2353 W. Locust, for the Powerball drawing on Wednesday, July 22. It also matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball to win a $200,000 prize. The winning numbers that night were: 4-6-16-22-32 and Powerball 11.

As of Tuesday morning, no one had claimed either prize. Players in Iowa have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim Powerball and Hot Lotto prizes. Players have up to 90 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes in Iowa's $100,000 Cash Game and the Iowa Lottery's Pick 3 and Pick 4 games. If the expiration date falls on a weekend or holiday when the lottery's offices are closed, the winner has until the close of business on the next business day to turn in the ticket.

"The lottery wants to see people coming in to claim all the prizes they justifiably have won," Rich said. "We hope that calling attention to these prizes will remind people to check their tickets."

Tickets for these major Iowa Lottery prizes also have yet to be claimed:

Powerball:

In fiscal year 2009, more than $1.3 million in prizes went unclaimed in Iowa lotto games. Unclaimed prizes go into prize pools for future lottery games.

Winning numbers may be checked at the lottery Web site at www.ialottery.com or through the winning numbers' hot line at (515) 323-4633. Winning numbers may also be checked with lottery retail outlets or by calling the lottery at (515) 725-7900 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Since the Iowa Lottery's start in 1985, its players have won more than $2.2 billion in prizes while the lottery has raised more than $1.1 billion for state programs.