Mega Millions Jackpot of $36 Million Unclaimed in Florida - Prize Funds Now for Education

Entertainment

February 16, 2024 - Reading time: ~1 minute

A $36 Million Mega Millions Ticket Was Sold at a Florida Grocery Store.

No One Claimed It. A missed deadline last weekend means someone in Florida lost out on $36 million. No one stepped up to claim the prize from the August drawing before the deadline, rendering the Mega Millions lottery ticket void. As a result, the winner has forfeited the winnings – the ticket is now only worth the paper it was printed on, Michelle Griner, a spokesperson with the Florida Lottery, told CNN.

The deadline to claim the prize was Sunday, marking the end of the 180-day claim period. The winning ticket was purchased at a Publix in Jacksonville with the winning numbers: 18-39-42-57-63. The Mega Ball number was 7 with a multiplier of 3x.

This was the only unclaimed Mega Millions jackpot ticket in 2023, according to the Mega Millions website. While most unclaimed prizes are small – a few dollars – million-dollar rewards have gone unclaimed as well.

A $26 million prize in California went unclaimed in 2021 after a woman mistakenly washed the ticket with her laundry. And in 2011, a Powerball ticket for $77 million went unclaimed in Georgia.

But there is some good news in all this – the funds from this unclaimed ticket are going to a worthy cause. Florida law requires that 80% of the unclaimed prize funds be transferred to a trust fund for education, with the remainder being held for the prize pool, according to the state lottery.

DW Staff

David Lintott is the Editor-in-Chief, leading our team of talented freelance journalists. He specializes in covering culture, sport, and society. Originally from the decaying seaside town of Eastbourne, he attributes his insightful world-weariness to his roots in this unique setting.

Mega Millions lottery Prize Funds

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