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News.com.au
5 days ago
- News.com.au
Powerball's unusual act to hunt down mysterious $100m winner
A band of runners will be taking extraordinary steps to try to track down the mysterious winner of the $100m Powerball ticket, who is yet to claim their enormous prize. It has been nine weeks since a single player from Sydney took home the jackpot prize of $100m, making them the third-largest lottery winner in the country. However, the victorious ticketholder has yet to come forward to claim their winnings. The elusive resident purchased the winning ticket at Bondi Junction Newsagency for Powerball draw 1217, which was drawn on June 12. The winning numbers in Powerball draw 1517 were 28, 10, 3, 16, 31, 14 and 21, with the Powerball number 6. In NSW, ticketholders have six years to claim their winnings before it expires. In an effort to inspire the mysterious winner to check their wallet, a band of runners from The Lott will be conducting a 'memory jog' by pounding the pavement across Bondi. 'It has now been 63 days since the elusive ticket holder won this massive $100m prize and throughout that time we have been eagerly waiting to unite the winner with their Powerball windfall,' The Lott spokesman Matt Hart said. 'Each day during the past nine weeks, we've been asking ourselves 'is today the day the winning ticket is presented?'' The memory jog will take place in the vicinity of the newsagency in Bondi Junction in hopes it 'sparks a memory and spurs players to hunt for unchecked lottery tickets'. He urged residents to check their ticket, even if they did not think they held the winning combination. 'In previous cases where people have come forward weeks, months and even years after the draw to finally claim their prize, they've told us the winning ticket was hiding in plain sight the whole time – in their wallet or purse, on the fridge, or just lying around in a drawer,' he said.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Powerball's extraordinary act to track down $100million winner
Two months on and Bondi Junction's mystery $100 million Powerball winner is still nowhere to be found - so lottery officials are hitting the streets in a last-ditch bid to jog their memory. On Thursday morning, a team of joggers in bright Powerball gear and billboard signs will pound the bustling streets around Bondi Junction in a 'Memory Jog' stunt, urging locals and visitors alike to check their tickets. The life-changing ticket, sold at Bondi Junction Newsagency on Oxford Street for draw 1517 on June 12, 2025, remains unclaimed because it wasn't registered to The Lott Members Club, leaving officials with no way to track down the new multi-millionaire. Under NSW rules, players have six years to claim their prize before it expires -but The Lott spokesperson Matt Hart said they were desperate to reunite the winner with their windfall. 'It has now been 63 days since the elusive ticket holder won this massive $100 million prize and throughout that time, we have been eagerly waiting to unite the winner with their Powerball windfall. 'Each day during the past nine weeks, we've been asking ourselves, is today the day the winning ticket is presented?' Mr Hart said the Memory Jog was focused on the very streets where the winning ticket was sold, hoping the sight of the runners might spark someone's memory. 'In previous cases where people have come forward weeks, months and even years after the draw to finally claim their prize, they've told us the winning ticket was hiding in plain sight the whole time – in their wallet or purse, on the fridge, or just lying around in a drawer. 'Our message to anyone out there thinking it couldn't be them – it really could be you. You could be our mystery multi-millionaire, and you just need to check your tickets. The newsagency's cashier Grace Martino told Daily Mail the winner could have been anyone bar the regulars, who have all been asking about the result. 'People come through all the time. It could be somebody who passed by; it could be someone who's a backpacker; it could be a tourist,' she said. She said lottery officials had the purchase details and were now matching CCTV footage from inside the store to the exact time the ticket was bought. Mr Hart said the winner made a major mistake by not registering the ticket. 'This is the very reason why we encourage everyone to register their entries to The Lott Members Club – we can reach out to you immediately if you win big!' The winning numbers were 28, 10, 3, 16, 31, 14 and 21, with the Powerball number 6.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Mystery of the unclaimed $100 million Powerball prize in Sydney
The mystery winner of a $100million Powerball jackpot has yet to claim their life-changing prize two months after the draw. The winning ticket for Powerball draw 1517 was purchased at Bondi Junction Newsagency and Internet Cafe, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, but the winner didn't register it to an account, leaving officials with no way to contact them. Despite public appeals, no one has come forward to claim the third-largest lottery prize in Australian history since the draw was called on June 12. Part-time cashier Grace Martino (pictured) told Daily Mail the winner may have been a tourist or backpacker, as the regular players have all been asking about the result. 'People come through all the time. It could be somebody who passed by; it could be someone who's a backpacker; it could be a tourist,' she said. Ms Martino does not even know when the customer bought the winning ticket. Instead, lottery officials are trying to match the time of the ticket's purchase with CCTV footage from inside the store. 'We have no idea, they never disclose that. I guess that's a big secret,' Ms Martino said. The store has sold winning tickets in the past, including to a lucky customer who won $1million. Ms Martino advised anybody who plays regularly to register their tickets so they can still claim their winnings in case they lose proof of their purchase. When asked if she had ever claimed a lottery prize, Ms Martino said not quite. 'Oh, no, I'm still here,' she said. The $100million prize is the third-biggest in Australia's history. In 2019, a nurse in Sydney took home the second-biggest prize after claiming $107million. A man in Adelaide took home the largest lottery prize in 2024, winning $150million in a Powerball jackpot. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 134million to one, according to official estimates. Lottery winners in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have six years from the draw date to claim their lottery prize. In Queensland, players have seven years. There is no time limit for winners in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. However, they face administrative fees if they delay collecting their prize for more than 12 months. On average, successful ticket holders claim their prize ten days after winning. The Lott's investigation team is working to find the winner. The Lott advises punters to register their tickets in case they misplace or damage them. Somebody who has lost the ticket entirely can send the Lott a declaration including the time and place of their purchase. But the Lott is not obligated to pay out to the holder of a missing and unregistered ticket. 'By registering your in-store or online lottery entry to The Lott Members Club, not only are we able to contact you straight after the draw if you win big, but your prize is secure,' The Lott said. The company will only do so if they find 'clear and irrefutable' evidence the claimant purchased the ticket. If a punter discovers an unregistered winning ticket, nothing technically stops them from claiming the win. A spokesman advised tickets should be treated with the same care as cash.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Lucky $100million Powerball winner STILL hasn't claimed their prize two months on - as theories swirl around the identity of the mystery ticket holder
The mystery winner of a $100million Powerball jackpot has yet to claim their life-changing prize two months after the draw. The winning ticket for Powerball draw 1517 was purchased at Bondi Junction Newsagency and Internet Cafe, in Sydney 's eastern suburbs. Despite public appeals, no one has come forward to claim the third-largest lottery prize in Australian history since the draw was called on June 12. Part-time cashier Grace Martino told Daily Mail the winner may have been a tourist or backpacker, as the regular players have all been asking about the result. 'People come through all the time. It could be somebody who passed by; it could be someone who's a backpacker; it could be a tourist,' she said. Ms Martino does not even know when the customer bought the winning ticket. Instead, lottery officials are trying to match the time of the ticket's purchase with CCTV footage from inside the store. 'We have no idea, they never disclose that. I guess that's a big secret,' Ms Martino said. The store has sold winning tickets in the past, including to a lucky customer who won $1million. Ms Martino advised anybody who plays regularly to register their tickets so they can still claim their winnings in case they lose proof of their purchase. When asked if she had ever claimed a lottery prize, Ms Martino said not quite. 'Oh, no, I'm still here,' she said. The $100million prize is the third-biggest in Australia's history. In 2019, a nurse in Sydney took home the second-biggest prize after claiming $107million. A man in Adelaide took home the largest lottery prize in 2024, winning $150million in a Powerball jackpot. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 134million to one, according to official estimates. Lottery winners in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have six years from the draw date to claim their lottery prize. In Queensland, players have seven years. There is no time limit for winners in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. However, they face administrative fees if they delay collecting their prize for more than 12 months. On average, successful ticket holders claim their prize ten days after winning. The Lott's investigation team is working to find the winner. Information about the person, however, cannot be released unless they consent. Other details, including the time and date of the ticket's purchase, cannot be released as they are key pieces of information used to verify the winning ticket holder. '(There are) established guidelines for the responsible management of unclaimed prize money, which include initiatives such as community donations, bonus draws, and player promotions,' a Lott spokesman said. 'That said, our hope is that the full amount is claimed and enjoyed by its rightful owner well before then.' The Lott advises punters to register their tickets in case they misplace or damage them. Somebody who has lost the ticket entirely can send the Lott a declaration including the time and place of their purchase. But the Lott is not obligated to pay out to the holder of a missing and unregistered ticket. The company will only do so if they find 'clear and irrefutable' evidence the claimant purchased the ticket. If a punter discovers an unregistered winning ticket, nothing technically stops them from claiming the win. A spokesman advised tickets should be treated with the same care as cash. If the winner was a backpacker or tourist, as is possible in a bustling suburb like Bondi Junction, foreign nationals can still claim the prize. However, their win could be subject to different taxation rules depending on their home country. They would also either have to claim their ticket while still in the country, or return to make the claim.
