The Biggest Unclaimed Lottery Prizes of All Time

Table of contents:

• WHAT HAPPENS TO UNCLAIMED LOTTERY PRIZES
• THE BIGGEST UNCLAIMED LOTTERY JACKPOT EVER
• THE BIGGEST UNCLAIMED LOTTERY JACKPOTS IN THE US
• EUROPE'S LARGEST UNCLAIMED LOTTERIES
• UNCLAIMED LOTTERY JACKPOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
• NO PRIZE GOES UNCLAIMED AT LOTTOLAND

In the UK, it was calculated that in 2018, no less than £125.1 million in prizes won from lotteries and scratchcards remained unclaimed. In the US, even greater sums have been missed out on, with an estimated $2.89 billion (approximately £2.45 billion) going unclaimed in the 12-month period up to July 2017. 

WHAT HAPPENS TO UNCLAIMED LOTTERY PRIZES?

When a lottery prize goes unclaimed, the money's disposition varies by country and lottery. In the UK, lottery winners have 180 days to claim their prize, whereas in Ireland, the grace period is just 90 days. If the winner has not come forward before this time has elapsed, then all the prize money is distributed to charitable causes. 

In the US, it's a different story. Here, winners have between 180 days and a year to claim their prize, depending on the state in which the lottery ticket was purchased. If no claim is made within the allotted time period, the money is allocated to the state for use as they see fit. 

Canadians have a year to claim any lottery prizes they win. After this time has expired, the unclaimed cash either goes to the province where the ticket was bought or else is added to future prize funds. 

THE BIGGEST UNCLAIMED LOTTERY JACKPOT EVER

There have been plenty of stunningly large jackpots which were never claimed from lotteries in the United States, Europe and elsewhere in the world, as you will discover below. However, when it comes to the biggest unclaimed lottery prize of all time, there can only be one winner... or in this case, loser.

In June 2012, the EuroMillions jackpot rose to £63.8 million (approximately $99 million at the exchange rate of the time). Many people anxiously checked their tickets, hoping their lucky numbers had finally come up. The winning ticket for the June 8th draw was sold in the Stevenage or Hitchin area of Hertfordshire, and with a combined population of around 110,000, it was hardly the biggest population from which to find a lottery winner.

Despite a nationwide publicity campaign, no winner came forward in the 180-day period before the ticket expired, and so all of the jackpot money went to selected UK charities. Good news for good causes, but let's hope the ticket-holder never realises exactly what they missed out on. The winning numbers were 5, 11, 22, 34 and 40 with bonus numbers of 9 and 11.

THE BIGGEST UNCLAIMED LOTTERY JACKPOTS IN THE US

While the UK may hold the top spot when it comes to the largest single unclaimed jackpot, the United States has the record for the greatest total amount of unclaimed lottery prizes.

We are not talking simply about a few dollars here or there, either; for example, in 2017 alone, there were 167 unclaimed PowerBall prizes worth at least $1 million (approximately £874,250).

The biggest unclaimed PowerBall jackpots were $77 million (approximately £67.5 million) from a ticket bought in Georgia in June 2011; $51.7 million (approximately £45.3 million) from an Indiana ticket in September 2002, and $63 million (approximately £55.2 million) left unclaimed from a ticket purchased in California in August 2015.

The story is similar when it comes to that other giant American lottery: MegaMillions. New Yorkers seem to have been particularly lax in this regard, with jackpots worth $68 million (approximately £59.6 million) in 2002, $46 million (approximately £40.3 million) in 2003 and $31 million (approximately £27.1 million) in 2006, never presented by their holders. 

The table below shows the top 7 biggest unclaimed lottery jackpots in the world, with jackpots shown in pounds sterling and reflecting exchange rates as of September 2022.

*At the time of the jackpot, 3rd June 2012, the exchange rate was approximately £64 million = £99 million USD. Note: Lottery not offered at Lottoland. 
** Lottery not offered at Lottoland.

EUROPE'S LARGEST UNCLAIMED LOTTERIES

Apart from the world-beating unclaimed jackpot mentioned above from the United Kingdom, there have been many other occasions when winners of major lottery prizes failed to put in a claim.

In 2018, a total of more than £125.1 million worth of prizes from lotteries and scratch cards went unclaimed in the UK.

Ireland's largest unclaimed lottery jackpot was the sum of €3.4 million (approximately £2.9 million), which went unclaimed back in June 2001, having been sold in Coolock, Dublin. Despite a nationwide campaign to find the winner, nobody came forward, and the prize money was distributed among charitable causes.

In Spain, a ticket that won a €4.7 million (approximately £4.1 million) jackpot in the local La Primitiva lottery in July 2012 remains the subject of much dispute to this day, with authorities unable to determine whether a genuine ticket-holder has come forward.

In Germany, the operators of the 6/49 lottery wait for the winner of €11.3 million (approximately £9.8 million) to contact them. The winning draw took place in April 2017, and by the second anniversary, no winner had emerged. 

UNCLAIMED LOTTERY JACKPOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Canadian lottery winners seem to be more careful about checking their tickets than their neighbours to the south.

However, a prize worth $5 million CAD (approximately £3.3 million) went unclaimed in March of 2004, and in June 2006, the winner of a $14.9 million CAD (approximately £9.8 million) fortune never appeared to collect their winnings.

In Australia, unclaimed lottery winnings are held in case the winners come forward. As of June 2019, the State of Victoria Revenue Office was holding over $567 million AUD (approximately £332.8 million) worth of winnings in unclaimed lotto and scratch card prizes.

In Latin America, the lottery jackpots may not scale the heights of those in the US and Canada, but some major prizes have been left unclaimed there, too.

Like the ₡500 million in Costa Rican cólones (approximately £693,957) not claimed from the Christmas lottery in that country in 2015. In the last Lotto draw of 2018 in Argentina, a sum worth over £219,926 was left on the table, an amount which would doubtless have been more than welcome to the unlucky winner. Since the beginning of the Melate lottery in Mexico, there have been two major jackpots which were never claimed.

In July 2009, a jackpot worth $85 million pesos (approximately £3.7 million) went unclaimed within the 60-day window, despite 30 hopeful individuals attempting to claim the prize during that period. Two years earlier, an even bigger jackpot of $146 million pesos (approximately £6.4 million) was not claimed despite the organisers' best efforts to locate the winning ticket-holder. Both sums were instead paid to the Mexican Federal Government to be used in projects to benefit society as a whole, so at least there were some winners!

NO PRIZE GOES UNCLAIMED AT LOTTOLAND

If the mere thought of leaving millions in lotto winnings behind you is causing you stress, then don't worry, as Lottoland won't allow you to miss out on any wins, no matter how big or small they may be! Lower-tier prizes from lottery bets with Lottoland are automatically credited to the winner's account, with an email sent out to confirm the win.

Should a Lottolander manage to scoop a jackpot - it's happened plenty of times before! - Then we will contact you by telephone to share the good news, as well as send an email.

Further verification may be required to ensure that the money is being sent to the right person, as we need to make absolutely sure that our lottery winners' prizes are going to the right person. Lottoland is a world-record holder for online gaming payouts, so you can rest assured that no matter how big or small your lottery or scratch card win, your prize most definitely will not go unclaimed!

Sources:

www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-7333869/125m-Lottery-prizes-went-unclaimed-year-London-players-look-numbers.html
www.thesun.co.uk/money/9875164/check-lottery-tickets-millions-worth-prizes-unclaimed
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Last updated: 22nd September 2022