Powerball player still sitting on $50k ticket sold at a gas station as officials issue warning

A Powerball player is still sitting on a $50,000 winning ticket, and lottery officials warned them that there are several steps they need to take before they can claim their winnings

Lottery officials across the country issued a three-step warning amid an unclaimed $50,000 Powerball lottery ticket that has yet to be claimed. One lucky player purchased a Powerball ticket with a grand prize of $50,000 attached to it, but it hasn't yet been cashed in, lottery officials said.

The player matched four numbers and the Powerball during Saturday night's drawing, netting them a massive sum. Doing so meant they beat the one-in-913,000 odds of earning that prize.

Had they matched the fifth number, they would have earned the jackpot, which is worth a whopping $89 million. Powerball prizes depend on how many numbers are matched and which of the balls it is that were matched — for example, matching a few regular balls can net players a few dollars. It comes as lucky residents in could win cash prize of $5,000 thanks to local businessman's birthday wish.

But matching a few regular balls and the Powerball can exponentially increase winnings, with the Powerball essentially serving as a multiplier based on how many other balls were matched. That's how the lucky individual who hasn't yet come forward came to win $50,000.

But, the ticket holder has yet to come forward — and now, lottery officials are issuing them a warning before they come to claim their prize. They must complete three steps before they can claim their prize, officials said. The steps apply to all winners, too, not just this lucky person.

1. Keep the ticket safe

If you win the lottery in any capacity, the first thing to do, lottery officials told WXIN-TV, is to keep the ticket in a safe place. Losing it or having it stolen would make claiming the earnings much more difficult.

If the ticket is in a safe space, then there's a low to no chance of it being stolen or misplaced, and it can then be brought to lottery officials to claim ahead of the deadline to do so.

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2. Meet with financial advisers

Winning the lottery can often lead to a massive surplus of cash entering a person's accounts. Meeting with a financial adviser is therefore a good idea before claiming the prize so that a plan of where the money will go and what it will be used for can be made.

Dealing with such large amounts of money can be overwhelming, but a financial adviser can help individuals through it and calm their nerves about what to do with it.

3. Call the lottery's customer service desk

Calling the lottery's customer service desk is often a good idea, too, officials said, since the desk can tell the individual where and how to claim the prize.

This particular lottery ticket was sold at a Murphy USA gas station in Martinsville, Indiana, which is about 37 miles southwest of Indianapolis.

In Indiana, players have 180 days from the date of the drawing to come forward and claim their prize. In other states, however, the timeframe could be different, which is why officials recommend calling to find out.

When the player is ready to collect their prize, they'll have to bring a valid form of identification with them, The Hoosier Lottery stated.

In the case of the $50,000 prize winner, calling the customer service desk is actually necessary — an appointment must be made to claim the prize because of its amount.

Deductions on the horizon

Officials warned the ticket holder that they'll face at least two types of deductions when they come forward, too — anyone who pockets more than $5,000 must pay a 24% tax to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

In the case of the lucky winner of $50,000, that means they'll only be able to take home about $37,500 — and that's not including the additional 3.15% state tax gamblers in Indiana have to pay for winnings over $1,200.

Ultimately, the winner will be issued a $50,000 check with their prize money that they can cash at their convenience — minus the taxes.