Lottery Says Winning $250,000 Ticket Purchased at Babcock GetGo

Have you checked your lottery ticket from Friday night? If you bought it , you might want to check it now. 

That's where the $250,000 winning ticket was purchased for $1, according to the Pennsylvania State Lottery.

The ticket correctly matched all five white balls drawn March 9, 09-10-27-36-42, for the $250,000 prize. (The actual amount won will be less 25 percent for federal tax withholding.)

No winner had come forward as of 4 p.m. Monday, said Allison Roberts, a spokeswoman for the lottery.

Pennsylvania Lottery Mega Millions winners have one year from the drawing date to claim prizes.

The lottery encourages the holder of the winning ticket to sign the back of the ticket, call the lottery at 717-702-8146 and file a claim at lottery headquarters in Middletown, Dauphin County, or at any of lottery's seven area offices. The closest one to the North Hills is at 1424 Western Ave. on the North Side.

Claims may be filed at lottery headquarters from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at area offices.

The GetGo, at 5603 Babcock Boulevard, will receive a $500 bonus for selling the winning ticket. 

Its manager was not available for comment because Giant Eagle prohibits him from speaking to the media. 

Dick Roberts, a spokesman for Giant Eagle said, "We congratulate the winner and hope that he or she claims their prize soon.”

The Mega Millions jackpot grew to an estimated annuity value of $171 million, or $124.7 million cash, for Tuesday's drawing.

Tickets cost $1 each. 

Players pick five numbers from 1 to 56 and one number from 1 to 46 (the Mega Ball). Players can pick their own numbers or have the lottery computer randomly select numbers. For an extra $1 per play, players can add the Megaplier. Prior to the Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier number—ranging from two to four—is randomly selected.

A player who matches five white balls and purchased Megaplier wins $1 million. Other non-jackpot prizes are multiplied by the Megaplier number drawn.

Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays. Players must be 18 or older.

All proceeds from the state lottery benefit older residents. Since its inception in 1971, the lottery has contributed nearly $21.5 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates, free transit and reduced-fare shared rides, the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET, long-term living services and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state. 

In the 2010-11 fiscal year, besides awarding nearly $214.5 million in prizes to Allegheny County winners, the lottery contributed nearly $123.6 million to programs serving Allegheny County's older residents.

Stay tuned to Patch for updates on this developing story.