Washington players have more than $9.5 million in lottery prizes close to expiring

Washington Lottery players may be sitting on serious money right now. State officials say more than $9.5 million in winning tickets is still unclaimed, and some of the biggest prizes are approaching their deadlines fast.

The immediate concern is a group of larger wins set to expire within days and weeks, including two $10,000 Match 4 prizes and a $617,500 Hit 5 jackpot. If those tickets are not claimed on time, the money is gone.

The prizes with the closest deadlines

Three standout prizes are at the front of the line:

• $10,000 Match 4 ticket bought in Tacoma, claim deadline April 22
• $10,000 Match 4 ticket bought in Airway Heights, claim deadline April 30
• $617,500 Hit 5 jackpot ticket bought in Ephrata, claim deadline May 1

Those are only part of the picture. Washington Lottery also has additional unclaimed prizes of $10,000 or more that will expire over the next few months, including Hit 5 jackpots of $420,000, $100,000, and $115,000.

The biggest missing prize is $8.2 million

The largest unclaimed ticket on the list is a $8.2 million Lotto jackpot sold in Bellingham. That winner has until July 30 to validate the ticket.

That deadline still leaves some time, but not much when a life-changing jackpot is involved. For anyone who bought a Lotto ticket in the area, now is the moment to check drawers, wallets, glove boxes, and old slips tucked into bags.

Why this matters now

Washington gives players 180 days to claim draw game prizes from the draw date. Scratch winners also get 180 days, counted from the last day of ticket sales for that game.

Once that clock runs out, the ticket is no longer valid. For prizes nearing expiration, players need to act before 5:00 p.m. on the final claim day.

If you play regional draw games regularly, it is also worth checking the latest Washington Lotto results and game details to compare old tickets before those deadlines hit.

Where winners need to go

Regional Washington Lottery offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with locations in Everett, Federal Way, Olympia, Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver.

Players claiming prizes of $100,000 or more should contact their nearest office ahead of time to schedule an appointment. That matters for several of the outstanding tickets now on the expiration list.

If no one claims the money

Unclaimed prize money does not simply disappear. Under Washington law, those funds move into a reserve account, with surplus later transferred to the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account. That money supports education programs across the state, including early learning, college access, and vocational pathways.

Still, for players holding one of these winning tickets, the real story is simpler: check your numbers now. For more deadline-driven stories and jackpot updates, visit our latest lottery news or head to the game page that matches your ticket.