Unclaimed Idaho Lottery prizes add up to millions

May 2, 2012, 9:23 pm (53 comments)

Idaho Lottery

BOISE, Idaho — With the recent $650 million Mega Millions jackpot a lot of us started dreaming about what we'd do with all that money. But every year in Idaho some people just need to wake up to realize that they are winners. For whatever reason, they never claim their prizes. That unclaimed money really adds up.

"Over the last two years we've had about $6 million go unclaimed from lottery tickets," said Idaho Lottery spokesman David Workman. That total comes from scratch tickets and all the different games where the balls drop.

In fiscal year 2010 nearly $3.7 million worth of prizes went unclaimed. In 2011 the total was almost $2.3 million.

Those unclaimed prizes range from $1 all the way up to $1 million.

A million dollar ticket sold in Eastern Idaho two years ago went unclaimed. "You know it's kind of a mystery to us," said Workman. "We never really heard any good news or anything about that ticket."

It's also a mystery why so many tickets go unclaimed. Maybe a lot of them get lost or laundered. Workman also thinks some people just may not understand the rules.

"Sometimes it's a little bit of player error," said Workman. "A lot of times though we would suspect that it's probably just people who haven't taken the opportunity to take that ticket to the retailer and have them check it to see if it's a winner."

You have 180 days to claim your prize. If you miss the deadline you lose, but public school kids across the state win. "Exactly. It's public education all the way around," said Workman. "That money ends up going to benefit Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund."

So, it's obvious. Millions in unclaimed prizes is a huge issue in Idaho.

For a solution we called in lottery expert Anna Pearl Rowell of Caldwell. We first met Anna Pearl in 2007 when she won her 5th Idaho Lottery prize. It was $110,000. Over the years she has also won a full-size Pac-Man video game machine, a pick-up truck, $1,500 and $15,000.

She knows what she's talking about. So here's her sage advice, her straightforward tip, her Anna Pearl "pearl of wisdom" to make sure you know whether your ticket is a winner or loser.

"Keep track of it. Don't run it through the washing machine, and do check your tickets," said lottery expert Anna Pearl Rowell.

Check your tickets... simply brilliant and brilliantly simple. And the best way to check them is to take them to a store that sells lottery tickets.

Another really easy way to check your lottery tickets is at Lottery Post's Idaho Lottery Results page — it's easy to use and free.

NWCN

Comments

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

GiGi & HoLeeKau check your tickets!!!!!!

rad242

Play to Win/Check to Collect!!!

Lucky SOB

try to keep track of all the lottery games and tickets you buy

PERDUE

You have 180 days to claim your prize. If you miss the deadline you lose,

 

Remember that the 180 days begins after the scratch off game closes and 180 days after the drawing date on the lotto tickets.

I remember calling when TX first started their lottery asking how do they know when a ticket has expired. The response I recieved was hesitant and I was told, "cash your tickets."

Once I started spending time at the TX lottery website reading, I learned about the 180 days and other things that the average lottery player is not aware of.

GGStarlings's avatarGGStarlings

Quote: Originally posted by dallascowboyfan on May 2, 2012

GiGi & HoLeeKau check your tickets!!!!!!

It's not me.  Sad to say, I always check my tickets and check 'em twice. 

Seriously, what is wrong with Idahoans!!!!

That's just crazy.  Crazy fool business.

rad242

Quote: Originally posted by GGStarlings on May 2, 2012

It's not me.  Sad to say, I always check my tickets and check 'em twice. 

Seriously, what is wrong with Idahoans!!!!

That's just crazy.  Crazy fool business.

I would love to see the numbers by state. We may all be surprized ith how many millions go unclaimed!

VenomV12

My state has made it virtually idiot proof for you to know if you have won or not. There are scanners at the stores that tell you if you won or lost on the draw tickets like MM or Powerball and if you join the lottery site online you can enter both draw and instant tickets into it for points and if the ticket is not a winner it will not let you enter it.

 

I don't understand how someone can spend their hard earned money in obviously an attempt to win money and then not bother to check or be more careful with their tickets. 

GGStarlings's avatarGGStarlings

Quote: Originally posted by VenomV12 on May 2, 2012

My state has made it virtually idiot proof for you to know if you have won or not. There are scanners at the stores that tell you if you won or lost on the draw tickets like MM or Powerball and if you join the lottery site online you can enter both draw and instant tickets into it for points and if the ticket is not a winner it will not let you enter it.

 

I don't understand how someone can spend their hard earned money in obviously an attempt to win money and then not bother to check or be more careful with their tickets. 

Hey Venom, we have that in Idaho too.  I always scan my tickets at a store before I throw them out.  "Just in case".  And we have the web site with the thingamabobber to enter your ticket numbers. 

So there's no excuse for the careless Idahoans throwing their money away.

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Quote: Originally posted by GGStarlings on May 2, 2012

It's not me.  Sad to say, I always check my tickets and check 'em twice. 

Seriously, what is wrong with Idahoans!!!!

That's just crazy.  Crazy fool business.

I was hoping you were holding on to one of those tickets GG.....Wink

GGStarlings's avatarGGStarlings

Quote: Originally posted by dallascowboyfan on May 2, 2012

I was hoping you were holding on to one of those tickets GG.....Wink

Yeah... that woulda been cooool.  "LOOK!  LOOK WHAT I FOUND IN THE KITTY LITTER BOX!!!  The kitties were hiding it the whole time!!!"

White Bounce

nickbrownsfan

Well I have to claim guilty of many uncashed tickets for instants. All of them are either free tickets or 2$ winners. Normally this happens when the seasons change and I will play a scratch off see its only a buck or 2 then stick it in my coat pocket and drive off. Weather changes coat goes in closet and the next season I find an old expired ticket.

Not a million like that lady tossed out and somehow found it in a horrid judges ruling.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

After getting used to buying and not winning for years, your enthusiasm starts to fade.

When your enthusiasm starts to fade, you stop checking your tickets instantly.

When you stop checking your tickets instantly, sometimes you forget where you hide them.

When you sometimes forget where you hide them, time flies by before you search for them.

When time flies by before you search for them, you end up with expired winner.

Smile

GGStarlings's avatarGGStarlings

I think Maringoman has provided the answer to this phenomenon.

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

"And the best way to check them is to take them to a store that sells lottery tickets."

I don't agree with that part unless you self-check them at the store.

I bet the winnings stolen by clerks exceeds the unclaimed winnings.

You shouldn't give a ticket to a clerk unless you already know what you've won and have signed the ticket first.

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