$44 million Florida lottery ticket unclaimed: What will happen if nobody claims the prize?
Someone who bought a Florida lottery ticket could be totally unaware they could soon lose $44 million. What will happen to the money if left unclaimed?
Back in June this year, someone bought a Quick Pick lottery ticket from Sunoco Express at 2655 North Orange Blossom Trail in Kissimmee, Florida. That piece of paper bearing the numbers 09 - 13 - 15 - 46 - 51 - 52, turned out to be worth $44 million after the combination was drawn as the winner of the jackpot on the 14th of the month.
However, the ticket holder has only a few days left to claim the prize, which is set to expire at midnight ET on Monday, Dec. 11. Winnings must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date.
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Calling Florida Lotto ticket holders
The Florida Lottery is encouraging all those who purchased a ticket at this particular gas station to have a close look at the numbers they bet on, as they could be sitting on a considerable fortune.
The Florida Lotto jackpot must be claimed at the Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee, and the winner must validate the ticket in person owing to the large amount of the prize. Lottery guidelines indicate that if a ticket holder wins more than $250,000, they must personally go to the Tallahassee headquarters to get the money.
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$44 million Florida lottery ticket unclaimed: What will happen if nobody claims the prize?
In the event that the unwitting winner fails to claim their millions, most of the money will go toward the improvement of education. According to Florida law, 80% of prizes that go unclaimed should be sent directly to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, while the other 20% will be transferred back to the pool which is used for future jackpots or to promote special prizes.