Lotto winner walks away with nothing after failing to claim $36M Mega Millions jackpot

Posted for: Willie Wonka, HMFWIC

Aislinn Murphy,

The luck of a $36 million Mega Millions jackpot winner ran out earlier this week after not claiming their winnings.

The eight-figure grand prize, won with a lottery ticket from a Publix in Jacksonville, Florida, expired once the midnight deadline on Sunday passed without the claimant coming forward, the Florida Lottery confirmed to FOX Business.

Mega Millions and the Florida Lottery both urged people in Florida who used the Publix to play the lottery to take another look at their tickets prior to the jackpot’s expiration date.

The winning ticket holder had 180 days to claim the $36 million windfall.

The ticket tied to the now-expired jackpot had become a winner on Aug. 15, when Mega Millions drew the numbers 18, 39, 42, 57, 63 for the white balls and 7 for the Mega Ball.

Odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot stand at 1 in over 302 million.

“Florida law requires that 80 percent of unclaimed prize funds from expired tickets be transferred directly to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund,” the Florida Lottery told FOX Business. “The remaining 20 percent is returned to the prize pool from which future prizes are awarded or used for special prize promotions.”

Mega Millions and Powerball lottery tickets are seen in San Gabriel, California, on July 19, 2023. The Powerball jackpot has reached 1 billion USD for the July 19, 2023, drawing, which has only happened two times before in the history of the game. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images) — The winner had 180 days to claim their winnings.AFP via Getty Images

“Should a POWERBALL or MEGA MILLIONS jackpot ticket not be claimed within 180 days of the applicable draw date, the funds to pay the unclaimed jackpot will be returned to the lottery members in their proportion of sales for the jackpot rollover series,” the lottery added.

That fund provides money for public schools, universities and scholarships, according to a Florida Lottery fact sheet.

The $36 million ticket’s expiration came amid the current Mega Millions jackpot getting closer and closer to the half-billion mark.

The ongoing Mega Millions jackpot hovered at $457 million on an annuitized basis as of Friday morning. As a one-time, cash payout, it is worth $216.8 million.

Mega Million will conduct its next drawing for that potential windfall late Friday evening.

https://nypost.com/2024/02/16/us-news/mega-millions-winner-never-showed-up-to-claim-their-winnings/