Lotto is a game of chance that has been played for centuries. However, colossal lottery wins are a recent phenomenon. Unlike blackjack or لعبة بلاك جاك, the lottery depends entirely on luck so everyone can have equal chances of winning.
In the 17th century, there were small cash prizes or goods to be won. Nowadays, it is sometimes about exorbitantly high sums of money. That such a win turns life upside down is more than understandable. You can read the craziest stories about winning the lottery here.
But such unbelievable sums in the millions are not always collected. Do not you believe? Then read on. In fact, huge lottery winnings sometimes remain with the lottery company. The following five exceptional prizes have never been claimed or are not claimed at the time of this writing.
1st Giga Win at Mega Millions – $1.3 Billion
At the end of July 2022, one of the largest jackpots in US lottery history was hit: $1.337 billion (approx. €1.31 billion at the time) in the Mega Millions lottery. The numbers were drawn on the evening of August 29, 2022. The multi-billion winning numbers were 13, 36, 45, 57 and 67, as well as 14 as a Gold Mega Ball and a 2x Megaplier.
If the lucky one gets in touch, the question remains as to how he or she would like to get the money. It is possible to claim the prize in cash. The cash amount is then “only” $780.5 million (approx. €764 million). This must also be taxed in Illinois and results in a net value of $453.1 million (approx. €444 million).
If you prefer a full payment, the profit will be paid out in 30 instalments over the next 29 years. That means a gross annual income of just under $45 million (€44.1 million). Of course, the lucky winner does not have to wait for the first payout, so that a whopping 90 million (approx. €88.1 million) will end up in the bank account in 2022 alone. However, the annual payment must also be taxed.
2nd Millionaire at EuroMillions – 64 Million Pounds
In the summer of 2012, two players cracked the EuroMillions and were able to look forward to a whopping £64 million (at the time, around €80 million). That is, partially. The Belgian player eventually claimed his win.
The winner from the UK did not claim their prize for unknown reasons and did not become a millionaire overnight. In return, various charities were happy about unexpected cash injections.
Become a Millionaire With Powerball – $77 Million
In early 2015, a lucrative Powerball ticket with the numbers 24, 30, 45, 57 and 59, as well as the “Power Ball” with the number 26, was sold at a gas station in the US state of Georgia. This resulted in an unbelievable $77 million (at the time, around €65.4 million) for one lucky winner in the following draw. Huge lottery wins like these are actually more desired in cash. Unfortunately, the 180-day claim period expired on January 19, 2015 without the winner reporting to Georgia Lottery Headquarters in Atlanta!
Super Rich With SuperLotto Plus – $63 million
The SuperLotto Plus jackpot in California had grown to a whopping $63 million in August 2015 after 51 weeks without a winner. The next draw made a player from Chatsworth, a Los Angeles borough, an instant multimillionaire. But no one claimed the prize. The deadline of February 11, 2016, 180 days after the draw, came and went without a winner.
Mega Prize at Mega Millions – $68 million
A whopping sum of $68 million (approx. €62.4 million at the time) from the Mega Millions lottery remained without a happy owner in December 2002. It is known that the winning ticket was bought in the state of New York. Who this was and why the prize was never claimed remains a mystery.
Why Aren't Players Claiming Their Huge Lottery Winnings?
Nobody who hasn't won a very large jackpot before can understand what such a scenario feels like. How should we say exactly what are the reasons why such prizes are partially unclaimed?
Sometimes it is certainly downright banal: the lottery ticket cannot be found! If we don't secretly anticipate having a chance to win the lottery, then maybe we're not giving that little piece of paper the importance it can sometimes have. Then it lies somewhere between the pages of a book, hangs on the bulletin board or between receipts in your wallet.
In the same category, some simply forget to check the numbers after the draw. Not everyone watches the drawing of the lottery numbers live. So the lottery ticket disappears in everyday life and remains forgotten.
It might be particularly annoying if the claim deadline is missed. This applies, for example, to EuroMillions and many US lotteries, where you have to register within 180 days or even just 90 days.
The Allure of Gambling
Whatever the reasons for the above situations, the appeal of lotteries is undiminished and this despite the fact that the chances of winning lottery jackpots are extremely low. With the US lottery Mega Millions, which has been mentioned twice, the chances of winning the jackpot are rounded at 1:302.6 million.
