$63 million California Lottery ticket expires soon

Dec 17, 2015, 9:15 am (24 comments)

California Lottery

State no longer publishes surveillance video of ticket purchases to find winners

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A $63 million Super Lotto prize may become the largest unclaimed prize in California, but many prizes big and small go unclaimed every year, a spokesperson for the California Lottery Commission said Saturday.

Roughly $25 million per year in winnings are not claimed, said Alex Traverso.

"So, it's quite a bit of money when you add it up," he said.

The lottery winner in Southern California still has not claimed the prize, more than four months after the ticket was purchased and nearly one week after news media statewide publicized the unclaimed winnings.

The winning ticket was sold in August at the 7-Eleven located at 20871 Lassen Street in Chatsworth. It successfully matched the numbers 1, 16, 30, 33, and 46, plus the Mega number 24.

Lottery officials say people commonly tuck their tickets away and forget to check them. Yet, officials remain confused over what happened to the $63 million ticket.

"When we get to this point, we start to worry about the person having lost the ticket," Traverso said. "I mean, that's what happens. It's been four months."

Just this week, the lottery commission announced another big win in Carmichael was unclaimed for more than two months. The winning numbers were announced September 23. The winner, Paul Matson, came forward this week to claim a $671,000 Powerball prize.

Matson buys tickets occasionally, keeps them in a drawer, keeps track of the expiration dates and checks the tickets before they expire, the commission said in a written statement.

Another high-profile lottery win was widely publicized on television three years ago. Surveillance video showed the winner buying his ticket at an East Bay convenience store.

In August 2012, Bladimir Agnite said he received a call from a relative telling him his image appeared on television. Only then did he and his wife re-check their ticket; it was a $52 million winner.

Lottery officials now say the use of surveillance video hasn't proven completely effective in identifying winners and can create other problems. They no longer do it, making it less likely that the Chatsworth winner will see an image of himself or herself on TV.

The Chatsworth winner has until February 4 to come forward, or the winnings will go to California schools.

People buying tickets in Sacramento on Saturday insisted this is a problem they wouldn't have.

"I wish that was me," said Jackie Peppers, who was buying lotto tickets and scratchers in the Land Park neighborhood. "It would get claimed. It would have been claimed."

If the winner comes forward and decides to take the lump sum amount, they will receive a one-time payout of $39.9 million before federal taxes. Otherwise, the $63 million will be spread out over 30 years.

If this prize is never claimed, it would become the largest California Lottery prize ever to go unclaimed. In fact, it would more than double the current record, which is a $28.5 million jackpot that was won on a SuperLotto Plus ticket sold in San Lorenzo (Alameda County) back in 2003.

A combined total of $27.2 million in California Lottery prizes went unclaimed during the entire Fiscal Year 2014-15. That includes the full range of prizes from unclaimed $1 wins on up to the $1,098,624 Powerball ticket sold in Rosemead (Los Angeles County) that expired on March 12.

Regardless of whether anyone comes forward in the Chatsworth win, the 7-11 store that sold the winning ticket still received a $315,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.  Because the retailer bonus is from a separate fund, retailers do not have to wait for the winner to come forward to get paid.

The overall odds of winning any SuperLotto Plus prize are about 1 in 23 and the odds of hitting the jackpot are about 1 in 42 million.

SuperLotto Plus is California's own in-state jackpot game. Players pick five numbers from 1 to 47 plus a Mega number from 1 to 27. The draw takes place at Lottery Headquarters in Sacramento Wednesdays and Saturdays, right after draw entry closes at 7:45 p.m. PT.

SuperLotto Plus tickets cost $1 per play, and the winning numbers are published on Lottery Post's California Lottery Results page soon after each drawing.

KCRA, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

lotterybraker's avatarlotterybraker

I guess this is very common then...all I can say is WOW how do you lose a ticket...but then again I lose my pen, car keys, and my mind sometimes....

Raven62's avatarRaven62

The Person that Won may never know that a Fortune slipped thru their Fingers when the Time to Claim the Winnings Expires!

plumsage's avatarplumsage

One would think you wouldn't lose a 63 million dollar ticket but I remember having a instant ticket once and checking it thought it wasn't a winner, rechecked it a month or so later (I was about to throw it away) and realize it was a $100 winner.  "Stuff" happens!!!  I would be curled up in a ball for days if I thought I lost a 63 million dollar ticket.

Doug $!

California do your jobs and find the winner! Or everyone go back to the black market lottery that was run with a pencil and paper, and would give better odds. They would also look you up to pay you. Quit buying their tickets they will change up or go back to locking others up for running a business like it was supposed to be. They have the video show it and guit acting like the dude that put the root kit in the computer and stealing the money.

music*'s avatarmusic*

 I won $100.00 playing Super Lotto Plus for the first time. Beginners' luck. I used Bible numbers back then.

 This 63 million dollar ticket is certainly a mystery.

 I support California Lottery's decision not to play the video of the purchase. It could be a frail grandmother using a cane or walker. 

Party

Doug $!

Quote: Originally posted by music* on Dec 17, 2015

 I won $100.00 playing Super Lotto Plus for the first time. Beginners' luck. I used Bible numbers back then.

 This 63 million dollar ticket is certainly a mystery.

 I support California Lottery's decision not to play the video of the purchase. It could be a frail grandmother using a cane or walker. 

Party

Why does that matter do you think she doesn't need the money? It doesn't matter if you broke crippled and blind if you bought a ticket and won you are entitled to your money!

sully16's avatarsully16

Maybe the guy from Iraq forgot to check all his tickets.

travelintrucker's avatartravelintrucker

Must be a person who didn't think much of their purchase. Like coffee, or a newspaper.

RJOh's avatarRJOh

Quote: Originally posted by sully16 on Dec 17, 2015

Maybe the guy from Iraq forgot to check all his tickets.

Maybe he did but I'm sure the person holding all those tickets for Lotto won't.

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Doug $! on Dec 17, 2015

Why does that matter do you think she doesn't need the money? It doesn't matter if you broke crippled and blind if you bought a ticket and won you are entitled to your money!

l Don't think Music was suggesting anything of the kind Doug.Tell you what- figure this scenario out.An old lady wins $63mil, the lottery decides that they going to splash her mug all over the Television news reports.Two local career criminals who know this old lady see that piece and say to each other.." we know this lady,we can wait until she cashes her cheque and hit her residence real hard for the cash- we will get information out of that lady even if it mean we have to use force! Do you now see the line of thinking Music is using...Doug?

Doug $!

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Dec 17, 2015

l Don't think Music was suggesting anything of the kind Doug.Tell you what- figure this scenario out.An old lady wins $63mil, the lottery decides that they going to splash her mug all over the Television news reports.Two local career criminals who know this old lady see that piece and say to each other.." we know this lady,we can wait until she cashes her cheque and hit her residence real hard for the cash- we will get information out of that lady even if it mean we have to use force! Do you now see the line of thinking Music is using...Doug?

Well that could be the case with anyone. Only people from Baghdad can hide their identity, in most state's. And I don't think California will let you hide your identity? I feel like the state gets half of it anyway but a hundred percent is even better.

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Doug $! on Dec 17, 2015

Well that could be the case with anyone. Only people from Baghdad can hide their identity, in most state's. And I don't think California will let you hide your identity? I feel like the state gets half of it anyway but a hundred percent is even better.

No, not really Doug. There are options. The California Lottery says something to the effect of in the winner's handbook " forming a Trust" prior to picking up the cheque. Even though Freedom of information applies,  you as a winner could pace yourself as to when you claim the money. If you wait a few months while the current jackpot grows to a decent size- that's the perfect time to claim yours" while all eyes are distracted" and focusing in on the present jp..It's like going after a woman or in a female's case after a man.. knowing when to play your hand.To quick,  you may lose, to slow & you dead in the water. It's all about Knowing- or as Jeb bush likes to say " you have to be serious. ".

Doug $!

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Dec 17, 2015

No, not really Doug. There are options. The California Lottery says something to the effect of in the winner's handbook " forming a Trust" prior to picking up the cheque. Even though Freedom of information applies,  you as a winner could pace yourself as to when you claim the money. If you wait a few months while the current jackpot grows to a decent size- that's the perfect time to claim yours" while all eyes are distracted" and focusing in on the present jp..It's like going after a woman or in a female's case after a man.. knowing when to play your hand.To quick,  you may lose, to slow & you dead in the water. It's all about Knowing- or as Jeb bush likes to say " you have to be serious. ".

Well I have come of the opinion that you would be the person that could find that winner. You possibly already work for the lottery I haven't checked you out? But if not get a job with the lottery and find that winner. Don't let that money go unclaimed!

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Doug $! on Dec 17, 2015

Well I have come of the opinion that you would be the person that could find that winner. You possibly already work for the lottery I haven't checked you out? But if not get a job with the lottery and find that winner. Don't let that money go unclaimed!

Everyone here works for the lottery! 

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