DENNIS, Mass. — It was better (almost) late than never, as a Massachusetts man and his dog are $500,000 richer.
Leonard Thomas from South Dennis, Massachusetts, claimed his cash Wednesday, a day before it was set to expire, Boston25News reported.
The winning numbers were pulled on Aug. 19, 2020, and were 13, 23, 47, 55, 58 with Powerball 23 and a 10x multiplier, according to the Mass Lottery website.
“I heard about a Powerball ticket expiring on the radio and then my nephew told me,” Thomas said.
“When I heard about the expiring ticket, I looked through the tickets in the sleeve and found a Powerball ticket from Aug. 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,” Thomas said.
He matched four of the five main numbers as well as the Powerball. He also purchased the Power Play option on his Quic Pic ticket, so that meant his original $50,000 prize was multiplied by 10, lottery officials said.
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Thomas appeared at the Mass Lottery offices with his dog, Mariah, to get his larger-than-life check and collect his winnings Wednesday.
Thomas keeps all of his tickets in a plastic sleeve. Good thing he did now that he’s $500,000 richer, before taxes. He said he’s going to use the money to buy a small house or cottage, Boston25News reported.
The store that sold the winning ticket also gets a $5,000 bonus, lottery officials said.
The next Powerball drawing is Saturday and the estimated jackpot is a bit more than Thomas’ windfall — $290 million.