Camelot, UK’s lottery operator, goes to great lengths in trying to marry the larger unclaimed Lotto or EuroMillions prizes with winning ticket holders. The operators advertise that the prize is still unclaimed in the region where the ticket was purchased. This increases the data bullseye coverage as the deadline of 180 days approaches. Operators are not uncommon to receive hundreds of claims from players who lose their tickets. The National Lottery will usually open an investigation if claimants can prove that they purchased the ticket at the same time as the retailer they were purchased from. CCTV footage can often confirm valid claims. It is possible that the buyer of a ticket purchased at a Post Office would be captured on camera. Camelot will wait until the 180-day claim period has expired to verify that the prize was not claimed by anyone else if an investigation uncovers a valid claimant, but not one they can be certain of. The operators will pay the prize if they haven’t on occasion.
Another reason winnings may not be claimed is that they can’t be used. When they find out they have won a significant amount of money, players are often shocked. Some players wait for days, or even weeks to make a claim and then let it “sink in”.
You can ensure that you do not lose your prize by purchasing your National Lottery ticket online. Within hours of the draw, online ticket winners will be notified. Online ticket winners have yet to receive their winnings. This is a great way for you to ensure that you don’t miss out on purchasing a ticket. You won’t miss a draw if you set up a direct deduction. You don’t have to look at the results every draw. You can just sit back and wait to see if you get a News About Your Ticket! You will receive an email with the ‘News About Your Ticket!’ You can always dream of hitting the jackpot, but in reality you will only win a tenner.