$1.337B Mega Millions jackpot still unclaimed: Here’s what happens if nobody claims it
It is approaching a month since a lucky lottery player in Illinois scored one of the highest prizes in the history of the Mega Millions game, the $1.337 billion jackpot. However, the winner has yet to step forward to claim the fortune.
What will happen to the nearly $1.4 billion jackpot if it remains unclaimed is a question on the minds of many, and Mega Millions has the answer. The game’s website explains that if the top prize is not claimed within the required time limit, which varies state by state, each state that participates in the game will received all the money it contributed to the unclaimed jackpot.
“Each state uses its unclaimed lottery prizes for different purposes. Contact the lottery where you play to find out how unclaimed prizes are used,” the website notes.
The period of time in which the winner must claim the prize varies by jurisdiction based on state rules, so the cutoff date for claiming the jackpot could range from 90 days to one year from the day of the winning draw, according to Mega Millions.
AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez
A Mega Millions lottery ticket is handed to a customer in Palo Alto, Calif., on July 29, 2022.
In Illinois, where the winning lottery ticket was purchased, the lucky ticket-holder has a year from the date of the draw, which was July 29, to claim the jackpot. However, the winner only has 60 days to choose whether to receive the cash option or annual payments.
“For a prize of this magnitude, it’s not unusual for the winner to take a while to claim,” explained Illinois Lottery Director Harold Mays. “I’m sure they’re going through a range of emotions.”
Mays has three key pieces of advice for the lucky winner on what to do next: Sign the back of the ticket and keep it somewhere safe, seek professional advice and call the Lottery Player Hotline at 1 (800) 252-1775 to set up a private appointment to claim the prize.
Illinois is also a state where lottery winners of prizes worth $250,000 or more can opt to remain anonymous, he pointed out.
“We will work closely with the winner to respect any wishes for privacy and support them in any way we can to provide a positive winning experience,” Mays added.
The winner of the nearly $1.34 billion jackpot bought the winning ticket at a Speedway gas station in Des Plaines, Illinois. The top prize was previously worth $1.28 billion, but it increased by tens of millions of dollars because of high sales. The cash option is worth $780.5 million.
