An Unclaimed $70 Million Lotto Max Prize Has Expired & Here's Where The Jackpot Will Go
A much sought-after yet officially unclaimed Lotto Max prize worth $70 million expired on Wednesday, leaving its owner, whoever they are, seemingly out of luck.
The life-changing sum found itself as the focus of media attention in recent months after the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) launched an awareness campaign to find the rightful owner of the multi-million-dollar jackpot, initially drawn in the Tuesday, June 28, 2022, Lotto Max draw.
OLG said the failed initiative was launched in the "hopes of jogging the ticket owner's memory so that this person or group would come forward with the ticket."
However, despite their best efforts, the ticket's deadline, 10:30 pm on June 28, 2023, passed without the $70 million winning prize, originally sold at a lottery retailer in Scarborough, being validated.
"If an attempt is made to validate a lottery ticket, such as Lotto Max or Lotto 6/49, past the one-year expiry date, the lottery terminal message to the customer will advise the ticket has expired," a statement from the corporation reads.
However, since the awareness campaign resulted in more than 1,100 calls to OLG's Customer Care Centre with people claiming to have lost the ticket, the corporation has taken it upon itself to still pay the prize to the rightful owner of the winning ticket if possible.
"Due to the high volume of lost ticket claims, OLG's dedicated team of lottery investigators needs to take the time necessary to review all of these potential claims made before the expiry deadline. After that process is complete, we will provide a further update," OLG added.
What happens if the ticket still isn't claimed?
In the event that the Lotto Max ticket remains unclaimed, the $70 million prize will be redistributed to the game's players through upcoming bonus games or promotions.
To prevent unclaimed lottery prizes in the future, OLG advises lottery players to take the following precautions:
- Upon purchasing the ticket from a retail location, make sure to sign it right away.
- Keep the ticket in a secure and easily remembered place until the draw date.
- Once the draw is complete, promptly check your ticket.
- Consider purchasing a lottery ticket on OLG.ca, as you'll receive email notifications if your ticket is a winner.
If you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling, refer to these helplines across Canada. Support is available.
