Prizes for the national lottery are still left unclaimed. A total of £3.35 million in straight lottery prizes remains outstanding, with the clock ticking for a trio of winners to come forward before the money is reallocated to good causes.
A player from the London borough of Barnet who matched five main numbers plus the life ball in the Lotto draw held on 21 August is in line for £10,000 every month for one year if they claim before 19 April 2025.
In nearby Lambeth, the winner of a £1 million EuroMillions prize from the 3 September draw has until 2 March to come forward.
And in Birmingham, a Lotto HotPicks player who successfully matched five numbers on 18 September must stake a claim to a £350,000 windfall by 17 March.
(Image: Getty Images)
Most players collect their winnings within the permitted timeframe. However, some lottery prizes to go unclaimed when people forget to check their tickets or inadvertently discard them.
Players who scoop more than £50,000 are required to claim the money in person by completing a form and providing the winning ticket, together with proof of identity and age.
Failure to do so within 180 days of the draw date results in the forfeiture of the cash – although there is a small window of opportunity to save the situation.
The highest payout for a named person is Joe and Jess Thwaite, who won £184 million in 2022. Joe, a 49-year-old communications sales engineer at the time, bought the winning ticket online at 4pm on the day of the draw.
Jess, 44, was able to step back from running a hair salon with her sister. Parents to two children, the couple decided to spend their money wisely, using £38,000 of it on a second-hand Volvo, alongside planning a round-the-world celebratory trip.
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