Winner claims $500K Powerball prize one day before it was set to expire

DENNIS, Mass. — A South Dennis man claimed a winning Powerball ticket worth $500,000 one day before it was due to expire, Mass Lottery announced Wednesday. That winning ticket was from a drawing on August 19, 2020.

That man, identified as Leonard Thomas, bought the ticket at a Mobil station in South Dennis. He claimed the prize Wednesday in Dorchester and told Mass Lottery he plans to use the winnings to buy a small house or cottage.

“I heard about a Powerball ticket expiring on the radio and then my nephew told me,” Thomas said, adding that he keeps his purchased tickets in a plastic sleeve in his home.

“When I heard about the expiring ticket, I looked through the tickets in the sleeve and found a Powerball ticket from August 19, 2020. I had it scanned at a convenience store and the clerk indicated that I had to go to the Lottery to claim the prize.”

>>>PREVIOUS: Check your wallets! Unclaimed $500K Powerball prize nearing expiration

“What a great reminder to our lottery customers,” said Deborah Goldberg, the state treasurer and chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. “Always be sure to check your tickets and keep them in a safe place.”

Powerball winners have one year from the date of the drawing to claim their prizes.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2021 Cox Media Group