Someone could be $63 million richer, but just doesn't know it yet.
The California Lottery is looking for the winner of a SuperLotto Plus ticket valued at $63 million, which was sold in August at a 7-Eleven store, at 20871 Lassen St., in Chatsworth.
It's been three months since the winning ticket was drawn on Aug. 8 and a winner was announced.
But even after all that time, no one has called to claim the huge prize, lottery spokesman Alex Traverso said. And the time to claim the winnings is running out.
"That's pretty rare, especially with the amount of money it is," he said.
The winner has until Feb. 4 to turn in the golden ticket with the matching numbers of 1, 16, 30, 33, and 46, with Mega number 24.
But until then, officials are hoping lottery players will check their wallets, kitchen junk drawers and glove boxes for the ticket.
There is no way to know who the winner is until the prize is claimed, Traverso said.
Lottery officials could search through video footage. But if the video is off by 30 or 45 seconds, officials wouldn't be able to find the winner
"It's not 100% reliable," he said.
If a winner steps forward they could decide to receive a lump-sum, one-time payment of $39.9 million or receive $63 million over 30 years.
At this point, lottery officials believe the winner possibly lost the ticket. But they are hoping for the best because "stranger things have happened," Traverso said.
In one instance, a ticket holder didn't realize he was a winner until he searched his glove box five month after buying it, he said. The ticket turned out to be worth $23 million.
If a winner can't be found, it would be the largest unclaimed prize in California Lottery history.
The current largest unclaimed prize is $28.5 million for a SuperLotto Plus ticket sold in San Lorenzo, Calif., in 2003.
But even if no one shows up to claim the $63 million, the retail store owner who sold it will still receive $315,000.
Ticket holders who believe they have the winning ticket should immediately visit their local lottery office.
If not claimed does the $ go back to players or is it swallowed up by the state ?
The unclaimed money does not go back to the players of Super lotto plus.
A simple phone call by your attorney, financial adviser, or Certified financial planner, to the Lottery office would solve this problem. Because the Lottery Office does have caller ID you might not want to call them from your home.
Somebody here did not treat their ticket like cash. Or maybe they did and are in the habit of losing money.
The lucky winner still has until Feb 4 2016 to claim there prize. Maybe they're just still waiting for the right moment/getting prepared or they lost there ticket/didn't realize they have a winner. The lottery is saying that the security cams are not reliable but they should check that.
The video is off by 30 or 45 seconds.
Yea, that's good enough for telling who is NOT the winner.
I have my tickets on me all the time except when I'm in the shower!
Here we go again. When are some peoples kids going to learn. The lotteries do not need these free loads of cash from people that don't check their tickets. We the players can make better use of this cash. I CAN MAKE 20 FAMILIES HAVE A VERY WONDERFUL XMAS WITH THAT KIND OF WASTED CASH.
Here in California the unclaimed winnings will go toward the Education department. It is all for the kids.
What's Alex hurry? I would wager that this is nothing more than an attempt to get the winner in front of cameras only to get peppered with the usual questions.How did you choose your numbers, was it a QP, how long have you been playing? Call back in 9 month's time Alex, in the meantime, plan on making a baby.
Maybe they are in the process of changing their name and getting a make over. They probably don't want people to recognize their name or face when they go to claim the winnings.
Man, I hate hearing about unclaimed prizes! Some poor schmuck laid down his/her hard-earned cash and then lost, misplaced, forgot about the ticket that is worth $63M! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!
I hope the win is claimed before the cut-off date.
It took many weeks for the jackpot to reach $63 million. Everyone was excited and now it may go unclaimed?? Argh!
Want to cringe? Go to CA's website and pull up 21 NOV 15's winner list. Some soul had five #'s, a million dollars elsewhere...there just over $97K...awful.
Yikes, that a lot to lose out on.
Probably waiting 'til the divorce is final....
Just kidding....kinda