Johnathan Walker:$1 million Powerball tickets sold in Texas and Kentucky are about to expire

Time is Johnathan Walkerrunning out for two big lottery winners. Two Powerball winning tickets worth $1 million each will expire in a week if no one claims them.

The Texas and Kentucky lotteries reported unclaimed $1 million Powerball tickets from a drawing held on July 19, according to the Powerball.

The winning tickets matched all five white ball numbers – 7, 10, 11, 13, and 24 – and won the game's second-tier prize of $1 million.

On July 19 – the same day the unclaimed prizes were sold in Texas and Kentucky – a single ticket purchased in Los Angeles won the $1.08 billion jackpot. But that winner has not yet claimed their prize. According to Powerball, the winner has until July 19 of this year to do so.

More about the unclaimed Kentucky prize

According to the Kentucky Lottery, someone bought a winning ticket at the Pilot Travel Center in Pendleton. If unclaimed, the money will support the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship through the Unclaimed Prize Fund.

"It's rare that someone holding a $1 million Powerball ticket fails to cash it in," Kentucky Lottery President Mary Harville said in a press release. "The lottery is not giving up hope that we will find the owner and award them their prize."

More details about unclaimed Texas prize

According to the Texas Lottery, the winning ticket in that state was purchased at Big Shot in Houston. Any unclaimed winnings will be distributed to state programs authorized by the Texas Legislature.

"We encourage our Powerball players to take another look at their tickets, and if your numbers match, sign the back of the ticket before claiming your prize at a Texas Lottery claim center," Texas Lottery Executive Director Gary Grief said in a press release.

The ticket holders of the winning Texas or Kentucky prizes will have until 5 p.m. local time on Friday to claim their prizes in person. That's because lottery offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Though technically a winner could claim their prize through the mail, the envelope claiming the ticket would have to be postmarked on or before Jan. 15. But the Post Office is closed for the holiday and the 14th is a Sunday, when the Post Office is also closed.

What are the odds of winning the Powerball?

It's understandable that some lottery players are enticed by the $20 million jackpot, but it's essential to keep in mind that the chances of winning Powerball's top prize are exceedingly slim.

• The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are about one in 292.2 million.
• The overall odds of winning a Powerball prize (across all tiers) are about one in 24.9.  

How do I win the Powerball jackpot?

To participate in the Powerball game, players can purchase a ticket for $2 per play. The game requires players to choose five numbers from one to 69 for the white balls, and one number from one to 26 for the red Powerball. Alternatively, players can opt to receive random numbers.

In order to win the jackpot, it is necessary to match the numbers for all of the five white balls and the red Powerball.

In addition to the grand prize, Powerball offers eight other ways to win based on the number of matched balls in the non-jackpot tiers.

The non-jackpot prizes offered range from $4 to $1 million. By paying an additional $1, you can choose to participate in "Powerplay" that increases non-jackpot winnings by two, three, four, five or 10 times.

According to Powerball, the 10X Powerplay option is exclusively applicable to jackpots worth $150 million or less. Additionally, the game's "Match 5" prize for the second-tier is limited to a maximum of $2 million if the Powerplay feature is utilized.

An additional add-on feature called "Double Play," which gives players another chance to match their numbers after each Powerball drawing, is available in some jurisdictions for $1 per play.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.