Is the Winning $1.817 Billion Powerball Ticket Sold in Arkansas Lost?
Posted on: January 2, 2026, 11:58h.
Last updated on: January 2, 2026, 11:58h.
- The $1.817 billion Powerball jackpot has not been redeemed
- The ticket could be lost, or the winner could be meeting with advisors before coming forward
- The ticket must be redeemed by June 22, 2026
The winning Powerball ticket sold in Arkansas that won the Christmas Eve drawing worth $1.817 billion remains at large, as the winner has yet to come forward to redeem the life-changing prize.
The Dec. 24 winning ticket was sold at the Murphy USA gas station in Cabot, adjacent to the Walmart Supercenter. Arkansas lottery rules allow Powerball winners to take as long as 180 days from the drawing date, or June 26, 2026, to redeem the prize.
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery does not permit online ticket sales, meaning all Powerball plays must be purchased in person at a retailer. However, lottery courier services like Jackpot.com and Jackpocket.com facilitate online sales for players in Arkansas for a fee. Such services protect players from the risk of losing a physical ticket slip.
The Christmas Eve winning Powerball ticket for the $1.817 billion jackpot has a one-time cash value of $834.9 million.
Why the Delay?
While the winning ticket could be lost or have been accidentally trashed, the winner could also simply be meeting with financial and/or legal advisors before claiming the jackpot.
Phillips, Hunt & Walker, a law firm in Florida, says major lottery winners should first sign and lay claim to the prize immediately and then protect the ticket by putting it in a waterproof and fireproof place, such as a safe or bank deposit lock box. The attorneys advise winners not to discuss their win with family or friends, and instead call a lawyer and a tax professional for guidance.
The law firm advises winners to claim their prize anonymously, if state law permits. Arkansas winners can remain anonymous for three years before their identities become public.
After deciding between the annuitized payout or the one-time cash option, the attorneys say winners should refrain from making big purchases for three months. They say establishing a trust with a financial advisor to manage the account is smart, as it prevents spontaneous and irrational purchases.
Certainly, people want to go out and change their lives. And that’s fine, but be reasonable. The decisions you make in the first three months with this money will define how long you have this money. You don’t want to just be rich. You want to have wealth,” explains Phillips, Hunt & Walker.
“Avoid sudden extravagance,” the firm added. “Don’t be a woe-filled story. Statistics show lottery winners often find terrible fates.”
Lost Lottery Tickets
Hopefully, the Powerball ticket isn’t lost, but the winner is taking their time in a careful redemption. If the ticket isn’t redeemed, the winner forfeits the money, and the proceeds are distributed back to the state lotteries where the pool originated.
In 2011, a Powerball win sold in Georgia, worth $77.1 million, went unclaimed. The ticket was purchased at a Pilot Travel Center in Tallapoosa but was never redeemed. In 2002, a Mega Millions jackpot worth $68 million sold in Brooklyn on Christmas Eve also wasn’t redeemed.
The biggest lottery prize in US history not to be claimed was half of a $395 million Mega Millions jackpot worth $197.5 million that was sold in California.
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