Maryland’s $730 million Powerball jackpot winner has not come forward
The winner of last month’s $731.1 million Powerball jackpot, the largest in Maryland history, has not yet come forward to claim the money, officials say.
Maryland allows lottery winners to remain anonymous, and given the enormous prize, it is likely the person will opt to avoid the attention that comes with becoming a multimillionaire, said lottery spokeswoman Carole Bober Gentry.
“It’s a lot to absorb,” Gentry said.
Typically, the winner has 182 days from the date of the drawing to claim the prize, but the deadline has been temporarily extended due to the COVID-19 state of emergency. The winner now has up to 30 days after Maryland’s state of emergency ends to come forward.
The Maryland Lottery expects to make an announcement once the winning ticket is claimed, even if the person who bought it decides to remain anonymous.
Before taxes, the ticket ticket sold in Lonaconing, a small Western Maryland coal mining town, is worth more than five times the county’s annual budget. Gentry said she encourages the unknown winner to make sure they sign it while they decide how to proceed.
“We just tell people, please, while you’re taking your time, talking to an attorney ... sign the back of the ticket, and tuck it away somewhere safely,” she said.
