The clock is ticking as we eagerly await the winners of three significant recent jackpots won within a two-week period to come forward and claim their prizes.

- A $70 million Powerball jackpot was won in Pontiac, Michigan, on February 12, 2020. According to state law, the winner must claim their prize within one year from the draw date. This means they have until February 12, 2021, to come forward.

- A $202 million Mega Millions jackpot was won in Edison, New Jersey, on February 11. Similarly, the winner has one year from the draw date to claim their prize, giving them until February 11, 2021.

- A $396.9 million Powerball jackpot was won in Bonita Springs, Florida, on January 29. Florida law stipulates that the winner has 180 days from the draw date to claim their prize, which means they must come forward by July 27, 2020.

While these winners still have a considerable amount of time left to claim their prizes, there is always the possibility that they may never collect their incredible winnings. This could happen if they remain unaware of their win, perhaps because they misplaced the ticket or simply forgot to check it.

It is quite rare for a massive Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot to go unclaimed, given the extensive media coverage of the winning numbers and the store that sold the ticket. However, it does occasionally happen. What is more common than one might think is the number of prizes—sometimes very substantial ones—that expire unclaimed every year across the country. These unclaimed prizes add up to millions of dollars that never reach their rightful owners, often because the winners are unaware that they hold a winning ticket.