$36 million Mega Millions winning ticket left unclaimed in Florida

In a certain outcome of this unusual event, the lottery ticket Mega Millions worth US$36 million officially canceled After the period has elapsed without any claimant appearing. The Florida Lottery confirmed that the deadline for submitting and claiming prizes was February 11, thus closing the established 180-day claiming cycle. People,

In Floridaa ticket from mega millions lottery A major prize remained unclaimed after the expiration of the period established for its collection. Ticket, purchased from a supermarket chain establishment public Located in jacksonvilleThe winning numbers include 18-39-42-57-63. mega ball As reported, there is a multiplier of 7 and 3x Michelle Grinerspokesperson of Florida LotteryIn statements collected by cnn,

This event marks A unique opportunity in 2023is the only ticket with a big prize mega millions Which remains without the owner for the indicated period. Historically, although rare, cases of unclaimed large prizes are not unknown in the United States. In 2011, a ticket powerball $77 million worth unclaimed GeorgiaAnd a similar situation arose in 2021 also California With a prize of $26 million, where the ticket was lost after being accidentally washed with dirty clothes, as reported by the same source.

state legislation Florida it directs 80% fund Unclaimed prizes may result in someone being assigned Trust Fund for the Improvement of Education, The remaining 20% ​​is redistributed into future rewards or special promotions. Thus, 36 million unclaimed dollars can be integrated into the educational budget, as indicated Florida Lottery To FoxBusiness.

This phenomenon of unclaimed prizes occurs in a context where The current Mega Millions jackpot is close to $500 million, If you opt for the instant cashout instead of the annual prize, the upcoming drawing offers a chance to win a huge amount with a cash prize estimated at $216.8 million. People,

Incidents of unclaimed winning tickets cause Reflections on Possibilities and Fate In games of chance. The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are more than 1 in 302 millionWhich reflects the uniqueness of these events both in receiving the prize and in the subsequent loss due to non-claiming.

This case serves as a reminder to participants lottery of The importance of checking and protecting your tickets And to avoid losing important prizes, be mindful of established claim deadlines. Meanwhile, unclaimed money goes to support educational systems, turning these windfalls into a community benefit.

Mega Millions is a lottery game Available in 45 US states, except for the District of Columbia and the United States Virgin Islands. states where Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah are not available, Participation in Mega Millions may be restricted if you are outside the United States, although some online services allow people from other countries to purchase tickets through brokers. However, it is important to check the legality of these services in your country of residence.

Mega Millions drawings are held twice a week, on tuesday and friday, draws take place here 11:00, Eastern Time (ET). It is important to note that depending on your time zone, the draw time may vary. For example, for those Pacific Time Zone (PT), the drawing is at 8 p.m.

If no one claims a winning Mega Millions ticket within the established time frame, which varies depending on the laws of each participating state, specific procedures apply to handle these unclaimed prizes. Although the rules may vary slightly from state to state, some general principles are followed:

• destination of funds-According to each state’s rules, funds from unclaimed Mega Millions prizes are generally directed toward raising revenue for education or other public purposes. This means that the money has a potentially positive impact on the community, despite not being claimed by the original winner.
• Claim Last Date: Mega Millions winners have from 90 days to one year to claim their prize, depending on the rules of the state where the ticket was purchased. Once this period passes without anyone claiming the prize, the funds are considered unclaimed.
• Impact on future awards: As opposed to directing funds directly to increase future Mega Millions jackpots, most jurisdictions prefer to transfer these amounts to their designated funds for state programs, primarily educational programs.
• special sale: Some states may choose to use a portion of these unclaimed funds to run special lottery promotions to increase participation and public interest in future drawings.

To participate, interested parties must follow the following steps:

• ticket acquisition:Participants can purchase tickets at authorized stores, such as supermarkets, gas stations and convenience stores. Some states allow purchasing tickets online through official lottery websites.
• number selection: When purchasing a ticket, you will have to choose six numbers. The first five numbers, known as the white numbers, can be any number from 1 to 70, while the sixth number, the Mega Ball, must be one from 1 to 25. Participants can choose the numbers manually or use “Quick Pick”. So that the system can generate a set of numbers randomly.
• Multiplayer and Megaplier options: In most states, the option is given to use the same set of numbers in multiple consecutive drawings (up to 10, with a “Multi-draw” or “Multiple Play” option) and add a “Megaplier”. The latter is a multiplier that increases the winnings of secondary prizes; Additional ticket costs vary by state.
• ticket sales closed: It is important to purchase tickets before sales close, which is usually 15 minutes before the drawing. Drawings take place Tuesday and Friday nights at 11 p.m. Eastern Time. Participants must check their ticket for a specific time after which it will not be valid for the next drawing.
• verification of results: Results can be viewed on the official Mega Millions website, through the lottery mobile application, in stores where tickets were sold, or in local news broadcasts. It is important to properly verify tickets to identify any winnings.
• claim prize: If winning, recipients must follow their state’s specific instructions to claim the prize. Smaller prizes can be claimed at authorized retailers, while larger prizes usually require a visit to a state lottery office. It’s important to remember that big prizes are taxable.

Participation in Mega Millions is restricted to people 18 years of age or older in most states. Given the possibility that gambling may lead to the development of problematic gambling, the importance of gambling responsibly is emphasized.