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Eastern Time (GMT-5:00) | $17 million in Ohio Lottery scratch prizes unclaimed Ohio Lottery: $17 million in Ohio Lottery scratch prizes unclaimedOhioans won $17 million and never bothered to collect their prizes. The Ohio Lottery says that's the amount that went unclaimed from instant scratch-off tickets during the fiscal year that ended in June. Players have about six months to redeem winning tickets, and officials say about one out of every 50 was never cashed in. Unclaimed prize money is kept in the pot to pay off winners who do come forward. Lottery spokeswoman Mardele Cohen says if you have a scratch-off and aren't sure whether it's worth anything, you can find out by having it scanned at a store that sells lottery tickets. Lottery Post Staff We'd love to see your comments here! Register for a FREE membership — it takes just a few moments — and you'll be able to post comments here and on any of our forums. If you're already a member, you can Log In to post a comment. 18 comments. Last comment 6 years ago by . The Carolinas - Charlotte United States Member #21960 September 12, 2005 4103 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 15, 2007, 2:21 pm - IP Logged | |
This is assinine....how on earth does this much go unclaimed? If you're going to buy a ticket and just say screw it, why buy it? The North Carolina Education Lottery - so much a joke that here are their mascots: 
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OHIO United States Member #4238 March 27, 2004 7954 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 15, 2007, 2:29 pm - IP Logged | |
This is assinine....how on earth does this much go unclaimed? If you're going to buy a ticket and just say screw it, why buy it? I would just like to know where the winning tickets are being sold that can total up to this amount of money, the only thing i can find are all the 1.00 tickets and i know they will never total to that amount.... | | |
The Carolinas - Charlotte United States Member #21960 September 12, 2005 4103 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 15, 2007, 2:41 pm - IP Logged | |
I would just like to know where the winning tickets are being sold that can total up to this amount of money, the only thing i can find are all the 1.00 tickets and i know they will never total to that amount.... Employee smuggling...lol The North Carolina Education Lottery - so much a joke that here are their mascots:
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Coastal Georgia United States Member #2703 October 30, 2003 1867 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 15, 2007, 4:05 pm - IP Logged | |
I think a lot of these are / were put in the trash.
People make mistakes when checking them..... They overlook winners.........
I know one game here in GA that unless you know how to play Texas Hold-em, you can throw away winners real easily...
I know one person that loves to buy them, but cannot play the game, so she only scratches the code off on the bottom of the ticket, then hands it to the clerk to see if it is a winner. | | |
Chief Bottle Washer New Jersey United States Member #1 May 31, 2000 20638 Posts Online | | Posted: January 15, 2007, 4:10 pm - IP Logged | |
I think a lot of these are / were put in the trash.
People make mistakes when checking them..... They overlook winners.........
I know one game here in GA that unless you know how to play Texas Hold-em, you can throw away winners real easily...
I know one person that loves to buy them, but cannot play the game, so she only scratches the code off on the bottom of the ticket, then hands it to the clerk to see if it is a winner. I agree with this statement 100%. Many scratch games are WAY too complicated to figure out if you're a winner or not. What's the point? Is it really that exciting to see if the pre-printed game card contains a certain number of symbols in the right order? I would rather scratch off the gray area to reveal one of two possible words: WIN ~ or ~ LOSE Can't the lottery come out with a game like that, and then compare the sales and prize redemption statistics with one of their wacky crossword puzzle games? I'll bet my game would do better. | | |
United States Member #91 January 19, 2002 8912 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 15, 2007, 4:18 pm - IP Logged | |
You think that they want it to be easier,,,I doubt it...I'm sure they have a line item in the misc. revenue column of their budget called unclaimed tickets....and I'm sure they budget for more and more to hit that line item every year.... " We use the unclaimed money to pay those that do come forward and claim the tickets" isn't that what she said..... "Everybody has to believe in something...I believe I'll have another beer!" = W.C.Fields | | |
Coastal Georgia United States Member #2703 October 30, 2003 1867 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 15, 2007, 4:37 pm - IP Logged | |
I agree with this statement 100%. Many scratch games are WAY too complicated to figure out if you're a winner or not. What's the point? Is it really that exciting to see if the pre-printed game card contains a certain number of symbols in the right order? I would rather scratch off the gray area to reveal one of two possible words: WIN ~ or ~ LOSE Can't the lottery come out with a game like that, and then compare the sales and prize redemption statistics with one of their wacky crossword puzzle games? I'll bet my game would do better. Todd, good idea, but it would be too easy..
There is a bingo scratch game in GA that literally takes 10-15 minutes to see if you win or lose.
If part of the fun is "playing the game" then I guess that satisfies some..
Like Fja said, the Lottery Commission counts on player ignorance/ indifference to keep a percentage of the money......excellent point. | | |
mid-Ohio United States Member #9 March 24, 2001 15953 Posts Online | | Posted: January 16, 2007, 12:16 am - IP Logged | |
"Unclaimed prize money is kept in the pot to pay off winners who do come forward." I take that to mean the games as designed don't plan on all the winners claiming their prizes so the unclaimed money make up the difference if they do. I've noticed the $1 tickets are the easiest to understand, they usually have nine symbols and if three of them are the same then you have a winner. It's those $10-$20 tickets with several games or ways to win that are confusing. * The fundamentals of winning a lottery jackpot *
* play a lottery you can win *
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The Carolinas - Charlotte United States Member #21960 September 12, 2005 4103 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 16, 2007, 9:45 am - IP Logged | |
Todd, good idea, but it would be too easy..
There is a bingo scratch game in GA that literally takes 10-15 minutes to see if you win or lose.
If part of the fun is "playing the game" then I guess that satisfies some..
Like Fja said, the Lottery Commission counts on player ignorance/ indifference to keep a percentage of the money......excellent point. Those are the only scratchers I play ... the bingo games. I enjoy playing those...the others I couldn't give a squirt of you-know-what for. My wife loves all scratchers...especially those involving jewelry or gemstones...lol. And loves the Monopoly games. I'm surprised she hasn't hit me up for the $5 American Idol scratcher here yet... The North Carolina Education Lottery - so much a joke that here are their mascots:
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Coastal Georgia United States Member #2703 October 30, 2003 1867 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 16, 2007, 10:21 am - IP Logged | |
Those are the only scratchers I play ... the bingo games. I enjoy playing those...the others I couldn't give a squirt of you-know-what for. My wife loves all scratchers...especially those involving jewelry or gemstones...lol. And loves the Monopoly games. I'm surprised she hasn't hit me up for the $5 American Idol scratcher here yet... American Idol scratcher ?
Please don't tell me that you scratch to reveal Paula, Randy, or Simon ???
Paula I would be ok with, but Simon...yuck. | | |
The Carolinas - Charlotte United States Member #21960 September 12, 2005 4103 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 16, 2007, 10:24 am - IP Logged | |
American Idol scratcher ?
Please don't tell me that you scratch to reveal Paula, Randy, or Simon ???
Paula I would be ok with, but Simon...yuck. LOL...I have no idea...I just saw one the other day when I was picking up Powerball tickets... The North Carolina Education Lottery - so much a joke that here are their mascots:
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Coastal Georgia United States Member #2703 October 30, 2003 1867 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 16, 2007, 10:25 am - IP Logged | |
I am going to get my PB tix later today..
I will look for it ... might even play it just for the heck of it...
DD | | |
Columbus Ohio United States Member #36345 March 25, 2006 234 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 16, 2007, 1:20 pm - IP Logged | |
Ok I am really gonna puke now.. And you guys are right. Just like the Texas Holdem here in Ohio. DEAR LAWD! They will give you heart failure in a heart beat lol. I play holdem all the time and know the rules of the winning hands and they arent like that on the scratch offs so I can see games like that how winners get missed. I seen this and just put my head down I am glad I dont know where they were bought at cause then I would really want to shoot myself LMAO so looks as if no matter what from seeing this even if I KNOW that its a loser I am gonna get it scanned anyhow | | |
Stone Mountain, GA United States Member #3248 January 1, 2004 18493 Posts Offline | | Posted: January 16, 2007, 1:34 pm - IP Logged | |
Todd, good idea, but it would be too easy..
There is a bingo scratch game in GA that literally takes 10-15 minutes to see if you win or lose.
If part of the fun is "playing the game" then I guess that satisfies some..
Like Fja said, the Lottery Commission counts on player ignorance/ indifference to keep a percentage of the money......excellent point. DD; I buy the Bingo game a lot, but rather than scratching all the numbers to see if I've won, I just scratch the caller's card and read the code. If I see a "F", "I" & "V" then I know that I just won $5. "T", "E" & "N" , "F", "T" & "N", "T", "I", "C" etc... | | |
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