Most people do not let a seven-figure windfall sit for a year. Theresa Lynchosky is not most people.
The 63-year-old Rochester Hills resident finally claimed a $1 million Powerball prize on Wednesday, waiting almost the full one-year window and cutting it so close that the ticket was just hours away from expiring. She matched five white balls in the July 14, 2025 drawing and quietly visited the Michigan Lottery to cash in, with the prize on the verge of being forfeited to the state School Aid Fund.
According to the Michigan Lottery, Lynchosky matched the five white balls 08, 12, 45, 46 and 63 in the July 14, 2025 Powerball drawing and bought the winning play through her online account. She learned she had won the day after the drawing, kept the news to herself and held off on claiming for personal reasons. Lottery officials said she eventually came into headquarters to complete the claim and that she plans to stash the money in savings.
She nearly let a million dollars slip away
“I still don’t have the words to describe what winning this prize means to me,” Lynchosky said, according to the Michigan Lottery. She told officials she snapped a screenshot of the winning notification in her account the day after the draw and checked it from time to time before finally deciding to come forward. For now, she said the $1 million windfall is staying put in savings.
How claiming works, and where unclaimed money goes
Powerball tickets in Michigan are valid for one year from the draw date, and unclaimed prizes are shifted into the state’s School Aid Fund, according to ClickOnDetroit. The Match 5 prize Lynchosky won is a fixed $1 million in most states, and Powerball notes the odds of matching the five white balls are about 1 in 11.7 million. Lottery officials remind players to regularly check their online accounts and to contact Player Relations to schedule an appointment when claiming large prizes.
Michigan has seen a steady run of Match 5 winners this year, and May’s $1M winner was just one of several recent seven-figure payouts. Lynchosky’s wait, followed by a last-minute dash to claim, is a pointed reminder that even online players can leave life-changing money sitting untouched, and that the clock on a million-dollar prize does not stop. If you play, check your old tickets and account messages well before that one-year deadline sneaks up on you.
