How To Avoid Missing Out On Lotto Prizes
As the hunt intensifies for the winner of the AU$55 million Australia Powerball jackpot, the name and location of the shop that sold the winning ticket has been released. It is an unfortunate fact that a large number of lottery prizes around the world go unclaimed every year, but operators will do everything they can to jog players’ memories and you can also help yourself to make sure you never miss out.
How Lotteries Try To Help
In many countries, the location of the store that sold the winning ticket will be made public. It does not always happen immediately, as lottery operators are conscious of the fact that a winner may want to come forward in their own time and then keep their identity private, but the information may be revealed in time so that players in the local area are more likely to check tickets. In Australia, you can also register for official playing cards so that you can be tracked down in the event of a win. The Powerball player who won AU$55 million on Thursday 11th January was unregistered, so Tatts Loto has now disclosed that the lucky ticket was bought in Scole Lotto and News at Brunswick, in Melbourne’s inner north.
The length of time it takes to claim a prize depends on the game and where you are playing, but lotteries will generally step up their attempts to find winners as deadlines approach. The UK National Lottery, for example, will often send representatives to the place where an unclaimed ticket was sold and stage sort of publicity campaign. When a EuroMillions prize of £1 million from St Albans was about to expire last year, lottery officials joined the local half-marathon and dressed as butlers to try and spread the word.
Don’t Miss Out
If you don’t want to miss out on a lottery prize, there are various things you can do. If you buy a ticket from a retailer, make sure you know the rules before you play so you know exactly how long you have to come forward, then be sure to store your entry in a safe place. Sign the back of the ticket so that it cannot be claimed by anyone else if it gets lost or stolen, and then remember to check the winning numbers.
The best way to avoid the disappointment of missing out on a prize, though, is to play online. There is no chance of your ticket getting lost or damaged, and you don’t even need to worry about checking the numbers. You will be automatically notified if you win a prize and most amounts will paid directly into your online account straight away. Go to the Lotto Tickets page to find out more about how to choose numbers online and how to enjoy lottery games from all over the world.