A Pennsylvania woman is desperately searching for a misplaced lottery ticket worth $2.5 million.
Mildred Simoneriluto, 76, purchased the winning Cash 5 ticket at a grocery store in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, in May 2024.
However, when she realized two weeks later that she had won, the ticket was nowhere to be found, according to ABC affiliate WTAE.
She soon remembered that she had left the ticket in a jacket she later donated to Vietnam Veterans of America, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans across the U.S.
“I was stupefied; there are no words for it, there’s no expression,” she told WTAE. “How can I get it back?”
Simoneriluto explained that she had put the ticket in the jacket so she “wouldn’t forget” about it. Since realizing it was gone, she has searched various local grocery stores, including the one where she purchased it.
“I went to Shop ‘n Save about 100 times, and they said there’s nothing they can do,” she said.
Time is running out, as Pennsylvania Lottery officials told her that the physical ticket must be submitted by May 8 to claim the prize. The winning numbers are 14, 22, 33, 35, and 38.
She acknowledged that the ticket could now be anywhere in the country since she doesn’t know where her jacket ended up. She’s also aware that someone else might find it and turn it in.
“What else can I do? Cry out loud and hope that something will happen,” she said, remaining hopeful.
The Pennsylvania Lottery states that Cash 5 with Quick Cash is the only game in the state that offers a chance to win a jackpot daily with a lump-sum payout, as there are no annuity options.
Meanwhile, in Texas, another woman is facing a different lottery dilemma. An anonymous Austin resident won an $83.5 million jackpot after spending $20 on Texas Lotto tickets through the Jackpocket app, an online lottery courier.
Seven days after her win, Texas lottery officials launched an investigation into two major payouts due to potential money laundering, leading to a delay in her payment.
She recently visited the Texas Lottery headquarters in Austin, expecting to collect her winnings, but left empty-handed.
“I’ve gone through frustration and being sad and stressed, and now I’m just angry,” she told the Austin American-Statesman alongside her lawyer, Randy Howry. “I spent $20. I didn’t spend $26 million to run every single possible combination of numbers.”
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