Montgomery County, Pa. -
A lottery ticket buyer at a Wawa on High St. in Pottstown, Montgomery County may soon lose his or her shot at big bucks.
The Cash 5 daily game winner—5- 9- 13- 33- 35- has until March 18- the one year deadline- to claim a $325,000 prize.
While unclaimed lottery winnings are rare, they are not unheard of.
Just ask the folks who run Cole's Tobacco, not far from that Wawa.
Co-owner Cindy Brower says her store sells $15,000 in lottery tickets every week, including a $330,000 Cash 5 winner in January of last year.
It was never claimed.
"People still ask me, 'Cindy, what happened to that ticket?'" Brower told FOX 29s Bruce Gordon. "Oooohhh, don't talk to me about it. We always joke, 'it's in the dump. Start digging!'"
Cindy and husband Courtney bought a new digital scale with the $500 check they received for having sold last year's winner.
But when Cindy heard about this second big check, just sitting there, waiting for its rightful owner?
"I just remember hearing that (and thinking) you're kidding me, right? $700,000 worth of winners in this town that is still not being claimed?"
Cindy knows the life-changing power of the lottery- when you check your ticket.
Back in 2009, she sold a $360,000 Cash 5 winner to a local guy- a family man.
"The big thing was the kids. He's like, ‘look, now I know how to pay for college!'"
Some active players buy their lottery tickets at Cole's and Wawa's, and- with the clock ticking down on this latest winner- they're taking no chances.
"I had customers coming in with their heads down, saying 'I really ripped my house apart this weekend looking for that ticket.'" Cindy told Gordon. "Nothing."
Someone bought it.
And they'd better move fast.
A 6-figure payday is a terrible thing to waste.
The Cash 5 daily game winner—5- 9- 13- 33- 35- has until March 18th to claim the prize.
