Last Minute Lottery Win: MA Man Claims $100K Ticket

WEST ROXBURY, MA — A West Roxbury man collected a $100,000 prize just 11 days before the ticket was due to expire. John Butler won the prize on the March 17, 2022 drawing, according to Massachusetts Lottery.

Butler said he had purchased this ticket and others before traveling to Florida last year. He placed the tickets in a drawer and hadn't checked them.

His wife told him about a news story she had seen about the prize last week. Butler searched around his home and found his winning ticket.

“We are thrilled that Mr. Butler’s wife saw the Lottery announcement in the news about the unclaimed ticket!" State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, said in a statement. "What a great reminder to keep your tickets in a safe place and always make sure to check them. You will never know when you might be as lucky as the Butlers."

The player's odds of winning the top $100,000 prize are 1 in 324,632, according to Massachusetts Lottery.

Butler claimed his prize at the Massachusetts State Lottery’s Braintree claim center Monday. He said he plans on using his winnings for home improvements.

The winning numbers for this drawing were 03-10-11-18-22. Butler selected the numbers based on birthdates. Tickets that match all five winning numbers selected in the drawing win the game’s top prize.

He purchased his winning ticket at Star Market, 795 Providence Highway in Dedham. The store received a $1,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Mass Cash and other draw game prize winners have one year from the date of the drawing to claim prizes. Lottery prizes that expire become part of the net profit that the Lottery returns to the Commonwealth for distribution to all 351 cities and towns, according to Massachusetts Lottery.

Mass Cash drawings are daily and tickets cost $1. Players pick five out of 35 numbers or choose Quic Pic, which randomly picks the five numbers for you.