Unclaimed US Lottery Jackpots and Keno Payout Changes in October

In October 2026, several US state lotteries publish official unclaimed prize lists and strict claim deadlines, while Michigan has a keno payout promotion. The announcements include a $78 million Texas jackpot, multiple Illinois prizes above $100,000, and Washington draw-game and scratch-ticket deadlines. Here is what official sources say players should check before a ticket expires.

State unclaimed prize lists

Illinois publishes unclaimed prizes over $100,000 for Mega Millions, Powerball, Lotto, Lucky Day Lotto and HotWins, and requires prizes to be claimed within one year of the drawing. The list shows 11 unclaimed prizes, including a $1 million LOTTO prize from the 10/03/2026 draw sold at Town Armanetti Beverage Mart in Chicago, a $1 million POWERBALL prize from the 09/28/2026 draw sold at Jewel/Osco in Spring Grove, and an $800,000 Lucky Day Lotto prize from the 08/24/2026 draw sold at 7-Eleven in Elk Grove Village. A $100,000 Lucky Day Lotto prize from the 08/11/2026 draw sold at True North 953 in Elmhurst is also on the list.

Texas and New York deadlines

Texas lottery officials said a $78 million ticket from the Nov. 15, 2025 drawing remained unclaimed as of April 2026. The ticket was sold at Gordon’s Bait & Tackle in Brownsville and matched the numbers 7, 17, 23, 28, 39 and 48. The winner had until May 14 to claim it. In July 2026, New York announced that an unclaimed $1 million Powerball second prize from the August 6, 2025 drawing remained outstanding; the ticket was sold at Diamond News, Inc. in Manhattan and must be claimed by August 6, 2026. New York Lottery winners have one year from the draw date to claim.

Washington's 180-day rule

Washington’s Lottery gives draw-game winners 180 days from the drawing date and scratch-ticket winners 180 days from the last day of sales. In a January release, the lottery said more than $1.2 million in unclaimed prizes had deadlines between Jan. 19 and July 9. For example, a $10,000 Match 4 prize in Tacoma from the Oct. 24 drawing had an April 22 deadline, and a $270,000 Hit 5 prize in Seattle from the Jan. 9 drawing had a July 8 deadline. Six Match 4 tickets sold in Lynnwood from the Nov. 26 drawing each won $10,000, with a May 25 deadline.

Keno payout changes

Michigan began Club Keno Tripler Time on Feb. 1, 2026, running for a limited time at no additional cost. A Doubler or Tripler message on an eligible ticket doubles or triples Club Keno, Plus 3, and Kicker prizes up to a $4 million maximum; Jack prizes are excluded. Multi-draw tickets with a Doubler or Tripler message have all eligible drawings on that ticket affected. Drawings take place every three and a half minutes at approximately 10,500 Lottery retailers. Before you play keno, you can work through the odds and payout structure with Gambling Calculator’s odds tools.

Checking a multi-leg bet

If part of a prize is going towards a sports wager, combining several selections changes the payout. The parlaycalc payout tool accepts 2–20 legs in American, decimal or fractional odds and shows the combined odds, payout and profit for win, loss and void legs.

Planning a winter trip

A lottery win could also fund a snowboarding holiday. The How to Snowboard beginner guide covers the first-day learning path, gear setup, stance and basic movement for new riders.

Practical checklist

Confirm your ticket against the official state unclaimed list before the deadline, sign the back, and file by mail or in person where allowed. For keno, check whether your ticket is current and eligible for any Doubler or Tripler promotion. Keep a copy of the claim form and ticket until the prize is paid.