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Eastern Time (GMT-5:00) | California woman destroys $26 million lottery ticket in the laundry California Lottery: California woman destroys $26 million lottery ticket in the laundryRating:Clean clothes but a multi-million dollar mistake By Kate Northrop An unnamed woman who bought a California Lottery SuperLotto Plus ticket worth a whopping $26 million almost six months ago admitted that she accidentally laundered it immediately after buying it and stuffing it in her pocket. The woman purchased the ticket at the ARCO am/pm convenience store on East Imperial Highway in Norwalk for a SuperLotto Plus drawing that took place on Nov. 14, 2020 before entirely ruining her chances at winning. The manager at the store the winning ticket was purchased from, who only goes by Frank, told KTLA that they reviewed the store's surveillance video footage to identify the woman who bought the ticket. Frank recognized the unofficial winner as a regular customer and described her as being in her 40s. She reportedly went to the store on Wednesday and told Frank that she held the winning ticket but had accidentally left the valuable slip in her pocket when she did her laundry. Although the surveillance video footage was handed over to the Lottery, it was not enough evidence to officially substantiate a win or ticket purchase. According to the California Lottery, a winner must present their ticket to file a claim, or should a player lose their ticket, they must be able to provide hard proof that they owned it in the first place, like a photo of the front and back of the ticket. The claim period for the drawing ended at 5:00 pm PST on Thursday. Since no one claimed the $26 million jackpot, the cash value prize of $19.7 million was transferred to public education. Prior to the deadline, the Lottery encouraged players to double-check their tickets if they played SuperLotto Plus on Nov. 14, 2020. Players have 180 days from the draw date to collect SuperLotto Plus prizes. The winning numbers for the SuperLotto Plus drawing on Nov. 14, 2020 were 12, 13, 23, 31, and 36, with Mega Ball number 10. Although the mystery winner was left empty-handed, the ARCO am/pm convenience store lucked out and received a $130,000 commission for selling the ticket. Lottery Post Staff
Central TN United States Member #121187 January 4, 2012 6199 Posts Offline | If that ain't an "Oh Fudge" moment, I don't know what is.  Integrity: There is no substitute. "If some among you fear taking a stand because you are afraid of reprisals . . . recognize that you are just feeding the crocodile hoping he'll eat you last." | | |
Simpsonville United States Member #163182 January 22, 2015 2928 Posts Offline | Never washed a ticket, but have left some in jacket pockets before. Now that warmer weather is upon us, make sure you don't leave lottery tickets somewhere where they might get hot and destroy the ticket(s)! Kind of groggy from my nap, so will Todd or someone please refresh my memory. Wasn't there a time where California paid out a lottery win a couple of years ago with no ticket??? Maybe they copied ticket from and back, IDR! | | |
* In hot pursuit of $ *
White Shores- California United States Member #136471 December 12, 2012 6816 Posts Offline | If only washing machines were as kind to lottery tickets as they are to paper money... * Voice of Reason * * People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it- George Bernard Shaw. | | |
United States Member #180546 March 12, 2017 240 Posts Offline | Oh well, she lives in California, it should be super easy to just win again. I am the Prince of Thieves!!! | | |
Hard Luck, Ak United States Member #23471 October 13, 2005 420 Posts Offline | Literally washed her dreams away! What a shame!  "We make a living by what you get, You make a LIFE by what you give!" Sir Winston Churchill | | |
ma United States Member #188574 March 15, 2018 119 Posts Offline | Oh well, she lives in California, it should be super easy to just win again. Are you another who believes in that lucky state fantasy or that is it fixed for a certain state all the time. It wouldn't be because they sell 20 times more tickets than your state or would it. It does not matter what state you are in. All that matters is if you have the correct numbers nothing else. | | |
Kentucky United States Member #32651 February 14, 2006 9632 Posts Offline | "they reviewed the store's surveillance video footage to identify the woman who bought the ticket." And why jackpot winners are never 100% anonymous. "When will we ever learn?" | | |
Florida United States Member #186822 January 2, 2018 453 Posts Offline | The Universe said it wasn't her time  | | |
Newman, California United States Member #193980 November 24, 2018 56 Posts Offline | What a costly mistake. Gonna think about that for the rest of her life. | | |
United States Member #567 August 14, 2002 507 Posts Offline | According to the California Lottery, a winner must present their ticket to file a claim, or should a player lose their ticket, they must be able to provide hard proof that they owned it in the first place, like a photo of the front and back of the ticket. The winner should always be required to present the ticket in order to file a claim. Anyone could have stolen a digital copy of the photo and acted as a legitimate claimant. Smart lottery winners form trust to claim their winnings. They send an attorney to the lottery headquarters to claim the prize in trust, so that ONLY the name of the trust is revealed. And they tell NO ONE, especially relatives. If you ever win a lottery and you are single, the only person you should ever marry is someone who was truly in love with you BEFORE you won the jackpot! People can talk about strategies and gimmicks all they want, but unless your ticket actually matches at least 5 of those 6 balls, you are just another person who tried to win a game yet ultimately failed. | | |
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"Study Filters" United States Member #81312 October 16, 2009 36991 Posts Offline | 
Sorry for her loss! The store owner is getting a nice check! | | |
New Zealand Member #177451 September 29, 2016 72 Posts Offline | According to the California Lottery, a winner must present their ticket to file a claim, or should a player lose their ticket, they must be able to provide hard proof that they owned it in the first place, like a photo of the front and back of the ticket. The winner should always be required to present the ticket in order to file a claim. Anyone could have stolen a digital copy of the photo and acted as a legitimate claimant. Even if they have a digital copy of the photo, that isn't enough on its own to make a successful claim. They will look at CCTV and banking records to check that the person was in the shop at the right time and made a purchase (maybe of just the ticket, maybe a purchase worth at least the price of the ticket. | | |
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Syracuse United States Member #95124 August 4, 2010 24527 Posts Offline | "BUMMER"  Is the Risk Worth the Reward ?
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New Member DELRAY BEACH United States Member #215436 May 18, 2021 1 Posts Offline | The store should give some of their prize money to her in light of her misgivings. After all they would have got Dudley squat had she not played there. Boy did her luck take a nose dive!! | | |
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