$1 million lottery ticket sold in Nanuet about to expire

NANUET (WABC) -- Someone is holding a winning New York Lottery Powerball ticket worth $1 million, but he or she has only one day left to claim the prize.

The winning second-prize ticket for the December 11, 2013, drawing was sold at Quick Mart at 38 North Middletown Road in Nanuet, Rockland County.

"We are urging players to check their tickets because there is a $1 million winning Powerball ticket that will expire on December 11," acting director of the Division of the Lottery Gardner Gurney said. "We're eager to award this large prize to the lucky winner and hope that person is making plans to claim it before it's too late."

The winning numbers from the drawing were 01-10-13-18-19 Powerball 27. Prizes can be claimed up to a year after the drawing. Lottery officials recommend that the ticket holder sign the back of the ticket and contact them immediately at 518-388-0563.

The winner may claim the ticket at any one of the Lottery's six Customer Service Centers statewide, including the Fishkill office at Hudson Valley Towne Center, 18 Westage Business Center, Fishkill, NY 12524 or the Manhattan office at 15 Beaver Street, New York, NY 10004.

As is always the case, in the event the prize is not claimed by December 11, the prize money will be returned to the prize pool for future winners. It is used to subsidize prizes for jackpots, promotions and/or special one-time games.

The mystery player matched every number drawn except for the red powerball.

The owner of the store says 90 percent of her customers are regulars. The rest, she says, come to buy lottery tickets believing her store, which has had plenty of winners, is lucky.

The fact is every day smaller prizes go unclaimed, $65 million a year. The money goes right back into the pot, but now one lawmaker wants to put that money to good use.

"This should be earmarked so that we know when a million dollars goes unclaimed, we don't have to feel bad about it. It's going to help the children that need it most in our state," said State Senator David Carlucci.

Sen. Carlucci is introducing legislation that would use unclaimed jackpots to pay for full day kindergarten programs. New York is one of five states that doesn't mandate kindergarten and 26 districts offer half day programs.

"Every study shows that early education is so vital to make sure that children get the education that they need and deserve," he said.