What Happens if the £40 Million EuroMillions Ticket Stays Unclaimed?
Updated: Friday 14th February 2020
The £40 million jackpot winner from 3rd December 2019 has still not claimed their prize. As the clock ticks down to the final date to come forward, find out how the National Lottery will continue to try and track down the mystery ticket holder and what will happen if nobody comes forward.
The Story So Far
The winning numbers for the draw were 18, 31, 32, 38 and 48, with Lucky Stars 4 and 12. It was quickly announced that the lucky ticket that won the jackpot was sold in the UK, making it the seventh top prize to be given away in the country during 2019.
It was then revealed a couple of weeks after the draw took place that the winning ticket was sold in Dorset. However, the first key deadline in the claims process came and went on 2nd January - that was when 30 days had passed since the draw.
The National Lottery allows players to submit appeals within 30 days of a draw if they think they might have won but are no longer in possession of the winning ticket. It might be that it has been lost, stolen or damaged, but someone is convinced they entered the winning numbers.
If this was the case, the player could have still been able to receive the money if they could provide information that proves they were the winner - for example giving details of the exact time and location they bought the ticket which matches up with the National Lottery’s official records.
As the 30-day limit has now ended, that is no longer an option. The only way to claim the money is to come forward with the winning ticket.
Final Date To Claim
All National Lottery prizes expire 180 days after a draw, so the final date to claim the jackpot is 31st May 2020. This means there is still plenty of time and it may be that the winner has just decided not to rush anything and seek advice before they come forward.
However, it is common for winners to stake their claims within the first few weeks and it is unusual for such a large jackpot to remain unclaimed at this stage of the process. The fear now is that the winner may be unaware of their good luck and could miss out on their £40 million payout. Go to the Unclaimed Prizes page to see a list of all the current National Lottery prizes that are still outstanding.
What Happens Now?
The National Lottery will continue to drum up publicity in Dorset about the big win, sending representatives to the area to try and jog players’ memories. In the past, members of the winners’ team have driven around in an ad van and even taken part in local fun runs.
Local retailers have also been encouraged to play their part by speaking to players who come into their shops. Camelot retail director Jenny Blogg said: “Simply discussing the huge unclaimed prize with customers could prompt a player to remember that they have a ticket in a coat pocket or at the back of some drawers, for example, and this could end up being the winning ticket.”
To claim the £40 million jackpot, the winner just needs to make contact with the National Lottery before the end of May by calling 0333 234 50 50. They will then be guided through the rest of the verification process.
Unclaimed Prizes Go To Good Causes
If the prize stays unclaimed when the ticket expires on 31st May, the winner will no longer be able to receive their money. Even if they come forward with the ticket at a later date, it will no longer be valid and they will not be paid out.
The full jackpot amount, plus all the interest it has generated, will be given to the Good Causes Fund if it is not claimed in time. The money will then help National Lottery-funded projects across the UK in the areas of sport, arts, heritage, and health, education, environment and charitable causes.
The Good Causes Fund receives £0.28 from every £1 spent on National Lottery games, plus all the unclaimed prizes. The National Lottery has so far raised more than £40 billion since it was launched in 1994.
Published: Friday 14th February 2020Lottery News News Archive