Missouri's nearly $1B Powerball winner has yet to claim prize

ST. LOUIS - Five days since a Missouri Powerball player won a grand prize of nearly $1 billion, the winner has not yet come forward.

On Saturday, Powerball players in Missouri and Texas matched all six numbers to win a nearly $1.8 billion jackpot, the second largest lottery prize in U.S. history. The win ended a three-month Powerball drought that followed 42 consecutive drawings without a winner.

One of the two winning tickets was sold at a QuikTrip in north St. Louis County at 12110 Lusher Road. The local winner will be eligible for $893.5 million lottery prize, sharing the $1.8 billion jackpot with the other winning player in Texas.

The local winner has not yet claimed their prize as of Thursday, according to the Missouri Lottery.

The prize must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing, or in this case by March 5, 2026, to be awarded. If the prize remains unclaimed after that date, the winnings would expire and instead be redirected to benefit public education.

Experts say large jackpot winners may sometimes delay claiming prizes while arranging legal, tax and financial advisors, and possibly even security, before coming forward.

A Missouri Lottery spokesperson tells FOX 2 that it has seen turnarounds for some major lottery jackpots in as little as a day, and even some just before the 180-day deadline, but most claims are somewhere in between.

"It all depends on the individual and their circumstances. As you can imagine, claiming a prize of this size would be a big deal for anyone," said the spokesperson.

However, the process to document, secure and redeem a ticket can be complex, taking weeks or even months to complete. Regardless of circumstances, the winning ticket must be signed on the back and redeemed at the Missouri Lottery headquarters in Jefferson City within 180 days.

After the claim, the payout process typically takes 14-21 businesses days, during which time the prize is removed from the Missouri Lottery's "unclaimed prizes" list.

Winner may choose between two payout options: A lump sum of $410.3 million or receiving the full amount of $893.5 million over 30 graduated annual payments. Both prize options are before taxes.

Winners are advised to sign the back of the ticket immediately once it's determined to be a winner and secure it in a safe space, such as a safe deposit box.

For more information from Missouri Lottery on handling a jackpot win, click here.