The search is on for two would-be millionaires who are sat on tickets for life-changing sums of money – but probably have no idea.
A 180-day countdown starts for National Lottery winners from the day the numbers are drawn to claim their prize. But what happens to their millions of pounds if they don’t?
There are currently eight prizes waiting to be claimed with a total value of a staggering £7.2 million, with interest also clocking up.
One player in Sevenoaks, Kent, has until 22 April to claim their jackpot of £10,000 per month for 30 years as part of the Set For Life prize - worth the equivalent of £3.6 million.
Lottery workers even headed to Sevenoaks station early on Monday morning to urge commuters to check their tickets - but their searches were fruitless.
The hunt also continues for one of two winners of a £3.8m prize from a Lotto draw on 1 March, after one person claimed their half of the jackpot on Thursday.
There have been a number of close calls where people almost didn’t claim their jackpot.
Terry and Lynn Patience, from Barking, claimed £2.5 million when it was “not far off the deadline” after their daughter heard about it on the radio in 2007.
“They just hadn’t got round to it,” said Patrick Lisoire, consumer communications manager at National Lottery operator Allwyn. “They didn't think they would have won anything, it completely slipped their mind.”
The closest call came in 2015, when a claim was made for a £4.6 million prize in Barking and Dagenham with just three days until the deadline.
There have also been a few huge sums that have never been claimed, the largest of which was from the EuroMillions draw on 8 June 2012.
A ticket worth £63,837,543.60 had been bought by a player in the area of Stevenage and Hitchin and was never claimed.
People with paper tickets are less likely to claim their wins than online players, according to Mr Lisoire.
He said: “It's retail tickets that may go unclaimed because you buy a paper ticket, if you misplace it, if you don't get around to checking it in time, although it is nearly 6 months, those tickets could expire.”
Online players get reminded repeatedly to check their login via phone and email, so people are more likely to claim them.
While one person or family may miss out on a life-changing jackpot, the unclaimed prize money doesn’t go to waste.
All the money - and any interest it’s earned - goes to the National Lottery Good Causes fund after 180 days.
Mr Lisoire said: “If you break down the national lottery, there's only actually two reasons why it exists. To pay out life-changing prizes to winners, and to benefit the country as a whole.”
The fund has helped finance capital projects such as the London 2012 Olympics, the Eden Project and the Angel of the North.
It’s also funded smaller community projects across the country, such as setting up city farms and helping fund Wales’ very first gay pride march.
The National Lottery have given out 685,000 individual grants have to support community and national projects, as players raise over £30 million a week for the fund with ticket sales alone.
What lottery prizes currently remain unclaimed?
- £1,000,000.00 EuroMillions prize, drawn on 18 October, bought in the City and County of Swansea. Winning numbers are: JDDF3809516. Deadline to claim is 16 April.
- £10,000 every month for 30 years Set For Life prize, drawn on 24 October, bought in Sevenoaks District. Winning numbers are: 2, 11, 29, 37, 45 Life Ball 6. Deadline is 22 April.
- £321,840.60 EuroMillions prize, drawn on 19 November, bought in Winchester. Winning numbers are: 4, 13, 20, 28, 49 Lucky Stars 7, 12. Deadline is 18 May.
- £1,000,000.00 EuroMillions prize, drawn on 27 December, bought in Wiltshire. Winning numbers are: XDQM36414. Deadline is 25 June.
- £137,981.30 EuroMillions prize, drawn on 31 December, bought in Huntingdonshire District. Winning numbers are: 9, 24, 26, 28, 33 Lucky Stars 8, 12. Deadline is 29 June.
- £106,738.50 EuroMillions prize, drawn on 7 February, bought in London Borough of Barnet. Winning numbers are: 10, 23, 24, 29, 45 Lucky Stars 8, 10. Deadline is 6 August.
- £1,000,000.00 EuroMillions prize, drawn on 14 February, bought in Liverpool. Winning numbers are: 4, 14, 31, 36, 38 Lucky Stars 3, 10. Deadline is 13 August.
- £10,000 every month for 1 year Set For Life prize, drawn on 20 February, bought in the Vale of Glamorgan. Winning Numbers are: 5, 8, 21, 26, 37 Life Ball 1. Deadline is 19 August.
