md United States
Member #14,047
April 20, 2005
627 Posts
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Yesterday two (2) I repeat two (2) Jackpots worth around $850,000 one in Colrado and one in Kentucky went unclaimed. It took me back to the $30,000,000 unclaimed in 2003.
How circumstances and carelessness rob people of great chances to alter their lives!
Well, If i Win tonights jackpot, I assure everyone, I'll claim it within two weeks! smile
Washington State United States
Member #33,972
February 26, 2006
349 Posts
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It's the same in WA state and some other states. I usually only play Quinto as a local game so it doesn't matter.
As far as unclaimed pots it would be nice if some of that money ended up raising the jackpots instead of wasted by our legislature.
The money from unclaimed prizes apparently does go back to players. The following is from the Washington State lottery website:
What happens to unclaimed prizes?
By law, all unclaimed prizes must be given back to Lottery players. The Lottery director can approve a larger increase of the Lotto Jackpot or do special promotions, such as a "Buy Five, Get One Free" offer, to return these unclaimed prizes to players.
Washington State United States
Member #33,972
February 26, 2006
349 Posts
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It's the same in WA state and some other states. I usually only play Quinto as a local game so it doesn't matter.
As far as unclaimed pots it would be nice if some of that money ended up raising the jackpots instead of wasted by our legislature.
Your first sentence is also incorrect. In Washington State a winner apparently has 60 days from the time they claim the jackpot to decide, not 60 days from the drawing date. This is what it says on the Washington State lottery website:
How long do Jackpot winners have to make their choice after they claim their prize?
Winners have 60 days after claiming their Jackpot prize at a Lottery office to make their choice, whether they choose the traditional annuity or Cash Option. Winners who do not make a choice within 60 days will receive their prize as an annuity.
United States
Member #2,338
September 17, 2003
2,063 Posts
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Maybe before you quote the website without bothering to understand the laws behind the lottery I would suggest you actually do some research for a change. RCW 67.70.190 you would have read that 1/3 of the prize money goes to an "economic development" account. Also if you had bother reading WAC 315-34-057 you would have read that the IRS dictates when you should get the cash prise and it's 60 days from the drawing. Next time try to actually read the laws behind the lottery, those are the only thing that matter in a court.
Washington State United States
Member #33,972
February 26, 2006
349 Posts
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Maybe before you quote the website without bothering to understand the laws behind the lottery I would suggest you actually do some research for a change. RCW 67.70.190 you would have read that 1/3 of the prize money goes to an "economic development" account. Also if you had bother reading WAC 315-34-057 you would have read that the IRS dictates when you should get the cash prise and it's 60 days from the drawing. Next time try to actually read the laws behind the lottery, those are the only thing that matter in a court.
Well, sheesh, you didn't have to be insulting about it. You could have just said my statements were in error and that the Washington State lottery website had not told the whole truth. And that really upsets me, as that makes two more cases where they are telling only part of the truth. (A big "half-truth" to me also is all the photos of people holding those big cardboard checks for the jackpot amounts. Since many of those people took cash option, they never received the amounts in the checks.)
There have been many discussions in posts on this website of people stating that in some states it is 60 days from the drawing and in other states it is 60 days from the validation of the claim that one must choose cash option if they so choose. But if I understand your statement and that in WAC 315-34-057 correctly, it COULD in reality be 60 days from the drawing in ANY state if it all depends upon how the IRS chooses to interpret it.
Oh, and as I read WAC 315-34-057, it looks to me as though the IRS COULD interpret the federal law to mean 60 days from the drawing, not that they have actually done so. Have you found any evidence that they have done so in a previous case? Or is this still really up in the air?
United States
Member #2,338
September 17, 2003
2,063 Posts
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If you post twice calling me a liar don't expect nice replies. As for the IRS you can always google it. They have gone both ways and I don't intend to find out the hard way where they are going.
Washington State United States
Member #33,972
February 26, 2006
349 Posts
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Well, my apologies if you interpreted my replies as "calling you a liar." Here I was trying very hard to word my statements to simply correct what I believed to be errors of fact (which everyone makes from time to time and has nothing to do with lying) and not make it sound personal or as an attack. But if you choose to get in a huff about it, so be it.