Trash to Treasure: When lottery luck was nearly missed

In the unpredictable world of lottery dreams, some winners come dangerously close to losing it all, not by bad luck, but by simple forgetfulness. These five viral lottery near-misses highlight how life-changing fortunes were nearly tossed, hidden, or hoarded into oblivion.

1. Hidden in a File Container A man from Calvert County, Maryland, unknowingly sat on a $500,000 Bonus Match 5 prize for months. After misplacing his six-board ticket from the July 12, 2024, drawing, he eventually found it tucked away in a file container, just days before it was set to expire. One line won the jackpot, and another added $400 to his windfall.
2. Lost in the Car, Tracy H. of Jonesboro, Arkansas, misplaced her August 2024 Powerball ticket before even checking it. Months later, she found it in her car and discovered it was worth $100,000. She claimed it just in time, narrowly beating the 180-day deadline.
3. The Ticket Hoarder A man from Prince George’s County, Maryland, held onto his viral $50,000 Pick 5 ticket intentionally. He told lottery officials he simply wanted to savour the moment. His wife didn’t even know about the win until the day before he claimed it, less than a week before expiration.

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1. Under the Furniture. While helping his mother move furniture, a Nottingham, Maryland, man stumbled upon a stack of scratch-off tickets meant as stocking stuffers. One $5 Holiday Luck Doubler ticket turned out to be a $50,000 winner. He and his mother split the prize, along with smaller wins of $6 and $15.
2. Rescued from the Trash Pamela Howard-Thorton of Shepherdsville, Kentucky, nearly threw away $80,000. After discarding three losing Flamingo Bingo scratch-offs, she realised the fourth was missing. A quick dive into the trash saved her winning ticket and her fortune.

These viral lottery near-misses serve as a reminder: always double-check your tickets. With billions in unclaimed lottery prizes each year, a little diligence could mean the difference between trash and treasure.