RETIRED TEACHER CLAIMS $60,000 PRIZE IN THE NICK OF TIME

Winning ticket was set to expire in 3 business days.

Edward Federinko knew a $60,000 winning CA$H 5 ticket was sold by the store he frequented. He saw the sign that said as much.

“I just didn’t think it was me,” he said.

Less than a week before the ticket would have expired, Edward claimed his $60,000 CA$H 5 jackpot prize at Hoosier Lottery headquarters in Indianapolis. Draw game prizes must be claimed within 180 days of a drawing. Edward’s ticket won in the June 6, 2017 CA$H 5 drawing by matching all five numbers.

Edward was a teacher for 37 years in the Chicago area. He lives in Portage with his partner, Ray.

“He’s been playing for a long time,” Ray said. “I was happy for him.”

Edward said he had the ticket among some other tickets, but never checked it. When he realized the deadline to claim was approaching, he went through his tickets to see if he had a winner. Sure enough, he found it.

The prize money is likely to stay in the bank while Edward decides what to do with it. He was considering donating at least some of it.

CA$H 5 is a daily draw game with a rolling jackpot that starts at $75,000. Edward won before June 18, 2017, when the Hoosier Lottery increased the game’s starting jackpot from $60,000 to $75,000. Click here to learn more about the game.

CA$H 5 Overall Odds are 1 in 11.