The mystery winner of a $100million Powerball jackpot has yet to claim their life-changing prize two months after the draw.
The winning ticket for Powerball draw 1517 was purchased at Bondi Junction Newsagency and Internet Cafe, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, but the winner didn’t register it to an account, leaving officials with no way to contact them.
Despite public appeals, no one has come forward to claim the third-largest lottery prize in n history since the draw was called on June 12.
Part-time cashier Grace Martino told Daily Mail the winner may have been a tourist or backpacker, as the regular players have all been asking about the result.
‘People come through all the time. It could be somebody who passed by; it could be someone who’s a backpacker; it could be a tourist,’ she said.
Ms Martino does not even know when the customer bought the winning ticket.
Instead, lottery officials are trying to match the time of the ticket’s purchase with CCTV footage from inside the store.
‘We have no idea, they never disclose that. I guess that’s a big secret,’ Ms Martino said.
The store has sold winning tickets in the past, including to a lucky customer who won $1million.
Ms Martino advised anybody who plays regularly to register their tickets so they can still claim their winnings in case they lose proof of their purchase.
When asked if she had ever claimed a lottery prize, Ms Martino said not quite.
‘Oh, no, I’m still here,’ she said.
The $100million prize is the third-biggest in ‘s history.
In 2019, a nurse in Sydney took home the second-biggest prize after claiming $107million.
A man in Adelaide took home the largest lottery prize in 2024, winning $150million in a Powerball jackpot.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 134million to one, according to official estimates.
Lottery winners in New South Wales and the n Capital Territory have six years from the draw date to claim their lottery prize.
In Queensland, players have seven years.
There is no time limit for winners in Victoria, South and Tasmania. However, they face administrative fees if they delay collecting their prize for more than 12 months.
On average, successful ticket holders claim their prize ten days after winning.
The Lott’s investigation team is working to find the winner.
Information about the person, however, cannot be released unless they consent.
Other details, including the time and date of the ticket’s purchase, cannot be released as they are key pieces of information used to verify the winning ticket holder.
‘(There are) established guidelines for the responsible management of unclaimed prize money, which include initiatives such as community donations, bonus draws, and player promotions,’ a Lott spokesman said.
‘That said, our hope is that the full amount is claimed and enjoyed by its rightful owner well before then.’
The Lott advises punters to register their tickets in case they misplace or damage them.
Somebody who has lost the ticket entirely can send the Lott a declaration including the time and place of their purchase.
But the Lott is not obligated to pay out to the holder of a missing and unregistered ticket.
‘By registering your in-store or online lottery entry to The Lott Members Club, not only are we able to contact you straight after the draw if you win big, but your prize is secure,’ The Lott said.
The company will only do so if they find ‘clear and irrefutable’ evidence the claimant purchased the ticket.
If a punter discovers an unregistered winning ticket, nothing technically stops them from claiming the win.
A spokesman advised tickets should be treated with the same care as cash.
If the winner was a backpacker or tourist, as is possible in a bustling suburb like Bondi Junction, foreign nationals can still claim the prize.
However, their win could be subject to different taxation rules depending on their home country.
They would also either have to claim their ticket while still in the country, or return to make the claim.