A lottery ticket worth $500,000 remains unclaimed in Mason City, Iowa. The winning numbers were drawn on March 16, and the prize will expire on September 12. Several other unclaimed prizes in Iowa are set to expire soon, including a $2,000 Mega Millions prize and a $1,000 Lotto America prize.
In Massachusetts, time is running out for a winner to claim $25,000 per year for life. The winning ticket was purchased at the J Convenience Store & Laundromat in Natick last May. The winner has less than a month to come forward and claim the prize.
Unclaimed lottery prizes are relatively common, according to lottery officials. Christian Teja, a spokesperson for the state lottery in Massachusetts, said that unclaimed prizes of this amount occur at least five to seven times a year. Sometimes, winners are aware of their win but haven’t claimed it yet. Other times, people simply don’t realize they’ve won.
Public announcements about unclaimed prizes often help connect winners with their winnings. Teja said that the lottery has seen a high success rate with getting prizes claimed when these announcements are made.
Prizes that expire before being claimed are distributed throughout the Commonwealth to cities and towns. Playing the lottery can be fun, but it’s important to remember that there are risks involved. If you or someone you know has signs of gambling addiction, please call the National Gambling Hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling website.
