WA Lotto $8.6M jackpot prize is still unclaimed. What to do if you lose a winning ticket
One lucky lottery player in Thurston County will be taking home $8.6 million from an April 29 drawing. They just have to claim it.
Washington’s Lotto game shows that someone in Rochester drew the six-number jackpot ticket over the last weekend of April, but nobody has yet come forward with the winning ticket. The chance of winning the six-ball ticket is 1 in 6.99 million.
For those who played the Lotto game in late April and don’t know if they won, don’t panic. The winner has 180 days — or until Oct. 26 — to claim their winnings.
The unclaimed winning numbers from the April 29 jackpot are: 11-18-20-27-39-47.
Jackpot winners have the choice of cashing the ticket in its entirety after tax or receiving payments annually for 25 years.
Claiming a WA lottery ticket
Washington’s Lottery web page outlines multiple ways players can check for a winning ticket:
- Check your numbers on the Washington’s Lottery website.
- Look on the Washington’s Lottery app on your smart device.
- Show your ticket at a lottery retailer’s “Check-A-Ticket” machine.
- Call the lottery winner’s hot line at 1-800-545-7510.
Tickets under $600 can be claimed by mail, but winners who have winning tickets worth more than that must present their tickets in person. Here’s what Washington’s Lottery says you should do if you have a winning ticket:
- Keep the ticket in a cool, secure and dry place.
- All winning tickets must be signed.
- You can cash a ticket worth $600 and under at any Washington’s Lottery retailer. To find a retailer near you, check the Lottery’s “Where to Play” web page.
- You must cash a ticket worth more than $600 but less than $100,000 at a Lottery regional office or its main state location in Olympia. The five regional offices are in Everett, Federal Way, Spokane, Vancouver and Yakima. To contact an office, see more information on the Lottery’s contact page.
- If you have a ticket worth more than $100,000, call the office ahead of time to set up an appointment. Winners must bring the signed ticket, a picture ID, proof of their Social Security Number or a winner claim form to the Lottery location to receive the prize.
Claiming a lost ticket
As is the case with at least a dozen winning tickets in Washington, it’s surprisingly common for big ticket prizes to go unclaimed. This could simply be due to winners forgetting they bought a ticket in the first place, or they could actually have lost the voucher. In that case, the lottery news site Lottery Critic explains the actions you can take if you believe you might have won big:
- North America has 48 lottery jurisdictions — 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands — each with their own guidelines. Most agree that they are not liable for lost tickets.
- You may be able to appeal to the Washington Lottery, as appeals have been granted elsewhere such as the U.K. If approved, the lottery agency could launch an investigation into the case that would require you to provide details about when and where you bought the ticket, the numbers you played and any other items you bought along with the lottery voucher.
- Appealing is a far-fetched measured to claiming a lost ticket, so the best action you can take to reuniting with a lost ticket is to sign it immediately after you purchase it. This will ensure nobody else can claim it, and if someone else happens upon the winning voucher, chances of you recovering it are higher.
Lottery blog Lotto Library has other tips to avoid losing a ticket:
- Don’t keep a ticket in your pocket for long. This could increase the likelihood that it goes through the wash or losing it altogether.
- Keep a ticket in a safe location that you can easily remember and access. Don’t keep it anywhere where it can be damaged easily.
- Take a photo of the ticket as soon as you buy it. In the chance you misplace it, a photo will increase your odds of proving you bought a winning ticket.
This story was originally published May 1, 2023 at 11:51 AM.
