Global Courant
You could be a multimillionaire and not even know it. Yes, you read that sentence correctly.
A winning $70 million Lotto Max ticket has been missing and unclaimed for nearly a year. The golden ticket expires on June 28.
According to Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission spokesman Tony Bitonti, “This will set a new record in Canadian lottery history if no one shows up to claim his millions”.
Bitonti went on to say, “I really don’t want that record to come out.”
There have been previous national jackpots that have gone unclaimed, including a $15 million winning ticket in British Columbia in 2021 and a $5 million winner in Northern Ontario in 2013.
At the thought of missing out on a life-changing payday, some lottery players rummage through their possessions, desperate for the lottery ticket. Speaking to CTV National News, Mary – a weekly player – admitted, “My husband told me about this ticket, to check everywhere I can find it. But I didn’t!”
The winning Lotto Max numbers were picked and purchased in Scarborough, Ont. The OLG knows the exact location, but few other details.
“The last time there was any activity on this ticket was when it was purchased,” Bitonti said.
People who believe they have lost the winning ticket can contact the OLG to answer a series of security questions, including where they purchased the ticket. So far 1500 people have tried and failed.
Bitonti has his suspicions; “Someone may have thrown that ticket away or put it in their jeans and those jeans may have been washed and the ticket destroyed.”
It’s worth noting that the prize, if claimed, would equal the biggest single-ticket win in Canadian history.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE TICKET EXPIRES?
Bitonti said that “all unclaimed prize money from the Lotto Max or (Lotto) 6/49 goes back to future national jackpots. Don’t expect the next jackpot to be $70 million, but it will go back to future jackpots and promotions. “
Bitonti handed over $3 billion in profits to Canadians. He now hopes to add to that total.
“I live in a world of chance, randomness and chance, so I still think there’s a chance someone could come forward and beat the odds,” Bitonti added.
The winning numbers for the Lotto Max draw are 8, 19, 22, 41, 42, 46, 47 Bonus 1.
If you’re reading this, you might want to immediately start searching your pockets, purse, wallet, drawers, couch, and car for that missing $70 million ticket.
