Any unclaimed proceedings should go to the other jackpot ticket.

Totally agree bc the other winner was too careless.

Unclaimed jackpot tickets happens way too often. For all of the millions of players that take it serious/ and safeguard their tickets, there's the careless player who not only beats the odds/ wins/ loses the ticket.

Tony, I have to agree with you 100%....Here is yet another story of not taking care of a legal document giving someone(s) ownership to 10's of millions of dollars. From Ohio to CA. I get amazed at why folks don't take better care of that little piece of paper/electronic receipt with a back up plan. I understand, people suddenly pass on/MVA/get incarcerated/have instantaneous medical problems... I truly have doubts that all of these expired jackpot wins, that we see time after time, year after year, fall into the "exigent circumstances" category. How many lower tier prizes fall into that "expired claim time" status as well ?

my theory is f. lahijani bought two tickets with the same numbers but lost one of them.

Bought at the same gas station on the same day? Maybe the gas station owner printed two tickets by mistake and somehow discarded the other one?

It's gotta be something like that, or what Brock said.

Sounds like the other ticket was a blank printout.

I agree with this theory. I would think the lottery could clear this up since they look at video of ticket purchases. However, would they not want to tell the first winner that he may have another ticket if he doesn't remember since they can use the money somewhere else?

Yeah I agree with all the theories mentioned ...  how about this thought: the other day I purchased 4 single tickets for mega millions and got 3 back ...... I counted 3 at the cashier counter and told the cashier ...... he found the missing ticket jammed in the lotto machine ..... it ripped when he took it out . ..  he offered to get me a replacement ...... I told him yes and he should keep the turn ticket for himself. .. the next guy in line said that torn tivket might be lucky .... the cashier said that ticket can't be scanned though ,.. I'm led to believe the cashier punched in the exact numbers that were on that torn ticket .... which is odd seeing it was a quikpick to begin with..... I went home and examined my tickets and lo and behold one of the four had a print out that said not for sale ....  reprint.   I'm just saying if I win on that ticket does the store win with the to torn ticket ?

Maybe they will announce after it expires if the times the tickets were printed were close to each other or not. That will tell you if it was printed by mistake or possibly another winner.

Maybe they thought it was a bad luck ticket with the mega ball number a 13 and tossed the ticket ..

This story is too Crazy 😜 right from the start and l think the California lottery should be put under independent investigation on this matter to ensure there is no Monkey business 🧑‍💼 what if this was inside Job Gone so wrong won't be the first time or the last time and the only winner of one of the two tickets is Quiet l smell a Rat 🐀 😃 However l do have a New theory and this is my personal opinion. I think the winner of half of the ticket Bought the first ticket and since Powerball is on Monday Wednesday and Saturday and Mega millions is on Tuesday and Friday he probably got confused with the days since both jackpots are huge So he accidentally lost the first ticket and after that he realized the disaster  So he did what l would do go Back and buy another similar ticket. Since he has been playing thoes numbers for years unfortunately this time it came at the worst possible moment  👩 Story of my life 😃🙏

Usually in these type of situations in other states the lottery would put out info about the ticket purchase that would be even more helpful, say perhaps the day of purchase, the time of purchase, so that someone's memory might be jogged.  To me, I just cannot believe that a second ticket purchase doesn't have something to do with the one already claimed in some way.  Were they both purchased by play card with only one combination or multiple combinations. If the card had say, a full 5 line purchase, and all combos on that card showing in their database together so that it was obvious that the same card had been run through the terminal at different times?  If it was a quick pick, it would be very hard to believe that a second quick pick could have been printed at the same store.  Maybe there is more info about this story that we have not seen.

You should keep everything you purchase, even if a ticket gets damaged in the machine or is a misprint. Just hang on to it until after the drawing is over.

With the MegaMillions at $619million right now, I wonder if this being rolled back in will push it higher faster than it is already growing.

That would be cool.

huh?2 tickets same numbers how that work out

It really didn't matter cuz I was purchasing a quikpic anyway

 "While it's a shame for potential winners to see any winning ticket expire, it does give a helpful boost to California public schools. All unclaimed prize money winds up helping support public education, so we can still feel good about it at the end of the day."

Is the cash value of the almost $200 million divided by all MM states or does the California Lottery keep it?

If this share of the jackpot does go unclaimed, it will be distributed back to all participating jurisdictions and their respective funds based on their percentage contribution to the drawing in ticket sales.

"Maybe the gas station owner printed two tickets by mistake and somehow discarded the other one?"

It's possible that it's just a coincidence, but the odds for several other explanations are far higher. I once had a clerk somehow print an extra ticket (which they gave to me) by accident and I once had a clerk print 3 tickets because they only thought they knew how to do an advanced draw and just kept trying. I believe one of the people who posted here once said that if somebody dropped play slip they might pock it up and use it to play the same numbers (though I can't imagine what kind of mental malfunction would lead anyone to do that). The problem with those scenarios is explaining why the 2nd ticket  wasn't claimed.

"Sounds like the other ticket was a blank printout. "

The clerk that printed three identical tickets seemed to be unable to understand that none of them could win the advertised jackpot. I've occasionally gotten tickets that were a bit faint or not as clearly legible as they should be. It seems unlikely, but if a stupid clerk printed a ticket that was damage in some way it's possible that they would try again and toss the first ticket. Although MM tickets can't be canceled, I wonder if a retailer can get a credit if they  return defective tickets to the lottery. One hand not knowing what the other hand is doing could easily explain the lottery not realizing that a ticket returned in that fashion was worth enough to affect a parimutuel prize.

"I would think the lottery could clear this up since they look at video of ticket purchases. "

They should have video, and they also know exactly when  each of the winning tickets was issued. That means they should know that both tickets were issued within a very brief window, or that the other ticket was printed at a significantly different time, in which case they should have video of the ticket being handed to somebody.

"Any unclaimed proceedings should go to the other jackpot ticket. "

Why? Unless it was issued at  nearly the same time and can therefore be identified being issued for, but not given to, the winner why do they have any right to it? Absent a sensible reason for them to be entitled to it giving them the money makes no more sense that handing out other unclaimed prize to random players.

Thanks for clearing that up.

After we all have seemingly exhausted all the possible scenarios that led to that 2nd ticket going unclaimed I think it's time for me to ...              Make myself a liverwurst sandwich on pumpernickel with lettuce tomato onion Swiss cheese and Dijon mustard with a side of 3 gherkin pickles and a other side of sweet potato chips.  Oh and I'll wash it all down with birch beer cream soda moxie or sasparilla.

It'z pRoBaBlY an illegally copied ticket from an unsuspecting customer'z bet slip, by a clerk.. but coming forward to claim it, might rezult in jail time for'em..az some Statez DON'T ALLOW  Employeez to participate..  2 ticketz wit the xact same numberz on'em...from the SAME store, purchased around the same time.. Thiz story wreeekz wit a scared Duerty 🐀..!!

Another $1.3 billion won on Mega millions in Neptune township New Jersey since march at ShopRite is still not claimed since March even though New Jersey offer Anonymity what is going on in this Planet 🌎 People are not properly checking tickets so Sad 😞 

I know right?!

What is the right amount of time to pass before you claim your big life-changing prize?

Do you do it ASAP and deal with all the he frenzi ed hype or do you wait awhile so the story dies down?  Or do you wait until the last possible day to claim it?

Frankly, waiting the last possible day is just as bad as claiming it ASAP IMHO because it makes the news cycle once more regarding the mystery of it all .

Me, I dunno what id do but I wouldn't wait until the very last day. Id be afraid of losing the ticket sometimes during the ensuing 365 days after hitting it big.  If you hide it somewhere safely in your house you might forget where you hid it ...,. I wouldn't want to put it in a safety deposit box ...... would you trust a bank to hold your ticket for you .,. maybe some coin or baseball cards or jewelry but not multimillion dollar lottery ticket

OMG the guy that won half the jackpot for $395,000,000 Mega millions Just filed a lawsuit to get the remaining half Aha l told you all so it's not over 😃🙏 Wow l knew it he must have something to do with this second ticket too 

PU: Something STINKS concerning the 2nd winning ticket holder situation! 

Now I'm off to the kitchen to prepare a liverwurst ,...

There have been five unclaimed big jackpots between Powerball and Megamillions.

MM $36 million in FL.

MM $31 million in NY.

PB $50 million in FL.

MM $68 million in NY.

PB $77 million in GA.  (June 2011)