Hundreds of people claim they may have lost winning ticket for expiring $70M Lotto Max prize
Hundreds of people have come forward to claim they could be the winner of the expiring $70 million Lotto Max prize.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) told CTV News Toronto they are now in the process of vetting more than 760 calls from the public ahead of the June 28 expiry date.
This would be the largest lottery prize in Canadian history to go unclaimed if the winner from the June 28, 2022 draw isn't found by the deadline.
"When people call in claiming they have lost their ticket, an OLG employee will ask a few questions to determine if the person is on the right track," OLG spokesperson Tony Bitonti said Friday. "If not, they are not part of the process. But if they can answer some questions that lead us to believe they may be the owner of the ticket then they go into the queue for further review."
The ticket was purchased at a retailer in Scarborough, though the OLG is not naming the store in order to protect their validation process.
Bitonti said while people have come forward to the OLG, there still has been no activity on the ticket since it was purchased last June.
“We have not had anyone check this ticket on their app, or at the self check,” Bitonti said.
Bitonti said there are a number of possibilities about what could have happened to this ticket, but it’s impossible to know until a winner comes forward.
"It could be they lost the ticket and don't know. They could have checked the ticket manually and do know, but haven’t come forward yet," Bitonti said. "Worst case scenario, they passed away and their executor doesn’t know this ticket exists."
The winning numbers for the Lotto Max draw are 8, 19, 22, 41, 42, 46, 47 Bonus 1.
WHAT HAPPENS IF NO ONE COMES FORWARD?
The winner has one year from the draw date to claim their prize, which is now roughly three weeks away.
If the $70-million ticket holder does not show up before the deadline, the unclaimed money will be returned to players through future bonus games or promotions.
While there are a number of reasons a winning ticket doesn't get redeemed, the OLG said it’s usually because it’s been misplaced or forgotten.
According to Bitonti, about one per cent of winnings goes unclaimed each year.
Meanwhile, the Friday (June 2) Lotto Max draw has also reached $70M. It's been months since the jackpot has reached this high.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.