Pennsylvania’s annual unclaimed lottery prizes average $17 million
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square
HARRISBURG, PA – Although recent jackpots have run high, many Pennsylvanians routinely fail to claim millions of dollars in prize money, state data shows.
Residents of the commonwealth left $8.2 million uncollected in 2022 – a relatively light year, according to the Department of Revenue. From 2012-2021, an average of $17.8 million in prizes went unclaimed annually.
In 2021, residents left $20.5 million on the table.
The money comes from draw games such as Powerball, Mega Millions and Cash4Life. The Department of Revenue can identify when and where those tickets are sold, unlike scratch-off tickets.
The burden of claiming prizes remains on those who buy a ticket.
“Players should check every ticket, every time, using self-service scanners found at retailers or with the Ticket Checker on the Lottery’s Official App,” Pennsylvania Lottery Press Secretary Ewa Swope said. “Sign tickets immediately for proof of ownership.”
However, the state does its own outreach to alert the public of unclaimed funds, Swope said, including daily press releases that detail winning prizes worth $100,000 or more.
“We have heard from many players who have checked their winning tickets after seeing a story on their local television station or reading about it online, so this is one way that we can help players avoid missing out on a prize,” she said.
The lottery also sends out press releases when those major tickets approach their expiration date. Tickets generally expire one year after the purchase date, the end of the game, or after the drawing date.
Though unclaimed winnings were down in 2022, the pandemic has meant a short-term boom. Over the last decade, sales and profit have fluctuated for the lottery depending on economic factors, according to Swope.
She said the 2020-21 year was “unprecedented” thanks to the pandemic, generating $5.3 billion in sales, setting a new record. More than $1.3 billion supported programs for senior citizens.
Unclaimed prizes also support these programs, she added.
Two recent winners in Pennsylvania have yet to claim prizes worth $1 million and $2 million, respectively. Not all of that will go in a winner’s pockets, however. A 24% federal tax and a 3% Pennsylvania tax, among others, eats away at all prize money.
