A jackpot winner was supposed to receive $87 million after playing EuroMillions in June 2012. It was only 50% of the grand reward since the prize was split among the users. But while the lottery immediately found one lucky winner in Belgium, the other remained unclaimed. EuroMillions even conducted a big campaign to inform the potential winner, but no one came forward in time.
You also have many people who almost failed to claim their winning ticket. Lerynne West left her ticket in another person’s vehicle. And it’s only luck that her sister was the owner of that vehicle, and she noticed the ticket on time. The Powerball jackpot was $343 million at the time, and Lerynne ultimately claimed it.
But what can you do to prevent this from happening to you? Here are the best tips to avoid unclaimed lottery tickets:
Check the expiration date immediately: most lotteries kbc contact number a clear expiration date written on the back of the ticket. Make sure to check it immediately, and if you can’t find it, contact the lottery to get accurate information.
It’s all about keeping the ticket safe: you can’t claim the prize without the ticket. That’s why you need to keep it in a safe place. If you purchased it online, print a physical copy, and never share your online account credentials with anyone. If you have a physical ticket, choose a safe place where it can’t suffer any accidental damage.
Inform yourself on when the draw is: many people buy a lottery ticket in a rush and even forget about the draw. If you purchased a ticket, it’s important to follow through and inform yourself of the drawing date.
Check the results after the draw: you don’t have to watch the session live. It’s enough to check the lottery results online. That way, you’ll know if you qualified for a prize.
Let a trustworthy person know you played the lottery: make sure to tell them to remind you to check the results. This can be important if you forget about the draw.
Add a reminder to your phone: use the benefits of technology and set a smartphone reminder that you have an unclaimed or unchecked lottery ticket. You can also set the alarm to remind you with one or two weeks to go before the claiming deadline.
What Happens to Unclaimed Lottery Prizes?
If your ticket expires, the reward is officially considered unclaimed. That means the ticket owner can’t claim it anymore, but the question is what happens with the funds. It depends on the lottery rules in the specific jurisdiction.
Some states, such as Florida, take the entire sum to use for public projects. Some lotteries might require the money to go to charities or specific projects, such as public education. There are even some games where retailers get to split the prize. It depends on the lottery, but the sure thing is that players can’t claim anything after the expiration date. Check out our detailed guide to discover more about unclaimed lottery tickets.
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