Pair of Winning $1 Million Lottery Tickets Still Unclaimed With Time Running Out
Winning the lottery can be a life-changing event for many, especially when the prize money is $1 million or more.
However, somehow, winning tickets go unclaimed.
Now, one Idaho lottery winner is on the verge of losing out on a $1 million prize, per Helena Wagner of The Idaho Statesman.
The winning ticket was purchased in Star, Idaho, which is about 25 miles away from Boise.
But, as of now, the ticket has not been claimed despite it being purchased in December 2024.
As Wagner reports, time might be running out for the winner.
"This ticket holder can claim their $1 million prize before 5 p.m. Monday, June 30, lottery officials said."
That isn't the only one, either.
Jonathan Limehouse of USA Today also mentioned that a winning ticket in Virginia is set to go unclaimed at the same time as the Idaho winner, with the deadline being Monday, June 30, at 5 p.m. EST (Virginia) and 5 p.m. MDT (Idaho).
He also revealed what would happen to the Idaho ticket if it were unclaimed.
"All unclaimed prizes at the end of the fiscal year in Idaho go to the state's lottery beneficiaries, including its public schools. Idaho lottery officials added that each year, about $5 million in winning lottery tickets in the state go unclaimed."
Per Wagner, winners have 180 days to claim their winnings, so time is quickly running out in what is a strange occurrence.
So, the big payday for these lottery winners might not be a payday after all.
Related: Someone Has $2 Million in Lottery Winnings but Doesn't Seem to Realize it