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Eastern Time (GMT-5:00) | Home -> Forums -> Lottery News -> Mega lottery bucks go unclaimed every year CT United States Member #62788 June 23, 2008 50 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 6, 2008, 8:00 pm - IP Logged | |
I scratch my head when hearing that tickets go unclaimed...When I purchased a ticket I treat it as a winner untill it is proven wrong, this way I treat it with care and security to prevent it from lost. Diamond, Good idea. It is at least a potential winner until proven wrong. SC | | |
CT United States Member #62788 June 23, 2008 50 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 6, 2008, 8:03 pm - IP Logged | |
Just think about all of the $1 scratch off's or any other ticket at that rate that goes unclaimed. Once I was ridding w/a friend and they had the winning ticket in the ashtray and was going to throw it away they had never checked the tickets. IC, I was down in Florida on vacation one day and found a 5 dollar winner lying on the ground. I bought a round of tickets at a local supermarket with the 5 bucks. Didn't win anything, of course. SC | | |
CT United States Member #62788 June 23, 2008 50 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 6, 2008, 8:06 pm - IP Logged | |
in June of 2001, a New Jersey winner of a $46 million Big Game lottery jackpot was able to collect his prize after the deadline because — get this — he stuck the winning ticket in an envelope addressed to the lottery and dropped it in a mailbox a day before the deadline. It arrived three days after the deadline, but since the postmark was before the deadline, he was paid the big bucks. The N.J. winner's ticket was in a drawer full of junk for nearly a year before he found it. When he told his wife about sending the ticket via regular mail (not even certified mail), her response was, "Are you crazy?" I would have choked him!!!! If that was my ticket I would have driven to cash it in the second I found out I won. I can understand mailing it if it were a few hundred or a grand but 46 MILLION??????? He must not have needed the $$$ very badly!! Gamer, I think he needs some brains, very badly! SC | | |
CT United States Member #62788 June 23, 2008 50 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 6, 2008, 8:10 pm - IP Logged | |
I remember that story and strangely enough was thinking about it the other day and I still think "what an idiot!"
Seriously, aside from the whole deadline issue, it's just insane to mail it. I wonder whatever happened to that guy. Losing a ticket is one thing, but having it and not bothering to check it? That's just moronic no matter what excuse you have, you deserve to lose out. DC(and others), In this life, deserve's got nothin' to do with it. SC | | |
Tampa,FL United States Member #59827 March 13, 2008 19 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 6, 2008, 9:06 pm - IP Logged | |
I scratch my head when hearing that tickets go unclaimed...When I purchased a ticket I treat it as a winner untill it is proven wrong, this way I treat it with care and security to prevent it from lost. I agree, THAT'S how it should always be treated, as a winner, because the ticket is ALWAYS a bearer instrument..I mean I don't understand how these people are so careless, I absolutely can't! I mean, I bought a scratch ticket the other day for $2 and when I walked home from the store, I realized when I got inside the home that I didn't have the ticket with me and I RETRACED my steps back ... because WHAT IF IT WAS A WINNER??? (Which it was, $10 btw) so yes to me even throwing away $8 profit is ridiculous and that's why everyone should ALWAYS claim prizes, no matter how SMALL or BIG ....! 
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Messy Michigan United States Member #64935 August 28, 2008 109 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 6, 2008, 10:16 pm - IP Logged | |
in June of 2001, a New Jersey winner of a $46 million Big Game lottery jackpot was able to collect his prize after the deadline because — get this — he stuck the winning ticket in an envelope addressed to the lottery and dropped it in a mailbox a day before the deadline. It arrived three days after the deadline, but since the postmark was before the deadline, he was paid the big bucks. The N.J. winner's ticket was in a drawer full of junk for nearly a year before he found it. When he told his wife about sending the ticket via regular mail (not even certified mail), her response was, "Are you crazy?" I would have choked him!!!! If that was my ticket I would have driven to cash it in the second I found out I won. I can understand mailing it if it were a few hundred or a grand but 46 MILLION??????? He must not have needed the $$$ very badly!! GamerMom, I would most definately say that this guy put the press in press your luck. I wonder if he would do it the same way again. IC#'s Remember we are the decisions that we make, please take the time to educate. | | |
Northern California United States Member #20270 August 9, 2005 145 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 7, 2008, 5:58 pm - IP Logged | |
CA treats these prizes as two distinct classes (as required by law). Most states do the same or similar (with a few exceptions). unPAID prizes are prizes with values of $559 or less that are never redeemed. In any online game prize structure with a 50% payout, over time, you will end up very close to the 2% figure attributed to Alborg above (meaning a game designed at 50% will actually payout at 48%). By law in CA (again, a lot of states have similar rules) those UNPAID prizes must be returned to players (which is what propels the CA Lottery "promo ticket" fund). People buy a bunch of tickets, maybe they don't check them, they get lost, they go through the wash, etc. unCLAIMED prizes have a value of $600 and above and would necessarily have had to be claimed (taxes withheld, etc.) By law in CA, unCLAIMED prizes go directly to the beneficiary once the claim period has expired. | | |
Ohio United States Member #60163 March 24, 2008 78 Posts Offline | | Posted: November 25, 2008, 12:34 am - IP Logged | |
I bet 99% of unclaimed prizes are small prizes worth about 1~5 bucks. Most people won't even bother to claim the prize unless it's significantly large. I would claim it anyways. I would apply the small wins toward a future huge win. | | |
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