A £9.4 million (US$16.2 million) UK National Lottery jackpot is going to good causes after the mystery winner failed to come forward by the deadline.
The 180-day limit for claiming the £9,476,995 Lotto prize expired at 5:30 last night.
It is the largest amount to go unclaimed since the National Lottery started over 11 years ago.
The ticket was bought in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and Lottery organizers Camelot have made a concerted effort to alert people in the area about the missing winner.
Now, the money along with about £216,000 in interest, will go to the good causes fund.
Check tickets
A National Lottery official said: "To avoid this situation happening again, we would urge all National Lottery players to check their tickets on a regular basis.
"We have made numerous appeals to try to find the ticket-holder and it's a real shame that they have missed out, but there is still one winner — the nation.
"This money will now go to the good causes, adding to the £17 billion which, over the last 11 years, has funded the biggest program of civic regeneration seen in the UK since the 19th century."
The spokesman urged Lottery players who are concerned about losing tickets to consider playing on the Internet or by mobile phone.
The ticket was bought for the Lotto draw on July 6 and the winning numbers were 3, 12, 17, 36, 44 and 49.
Over the last 11 years there have now been 24 tickets worth over £1m that have gone unclaimed.
This demonstrates the benefits of player registration cards for players who would like them. I play the UK lottery, but I play by subscription, which means they will call me if I win a jackpot or large prize. Small prizes are mailed to me automatically.
How can anyone not claim a UK Lottery Ticket worth over £9 million........ Maybe whoever it was checked the ticket....... and died of a heart attack.. (sad... but it does happen).
The winner is probably someone who either brought the ticket and died (God forbid) or
threw it out in the trash. Unfortunately, I believe the former because anyone alive who brought
a ticket for that drawing would have come foward by now (even if they lost the ticket).
This demonstrates the benefits of player registration cards for players who would like them. I play the UK lottery, but I play by subscription, which means they will call me if I win a jackpot or large prize. Small prizes are mailed to me automatically.
How can anyone not claim a UK Lottery Ticket worth over £9 million........ Maybe whoever it was checked the ticket....... and died of a heart attack.. (sad... but it does happen).
What would you guys do if you won the jackpot?
some people never look at the ticket because they don't think they even have a chance......