A $36 million Mega Millions lottery prize is now void after the lucky winner failed to come forward to claim it within the 180-day deadline set by the Florida Lottery. The winning ticket, which featured the numbers 18-39-42-57-63 with a Mega Ball number of 7 and a 3x multiplier, was purchased at a Publix in Jacksonville on Aug. 15.
The Florida Lottery has confirmed that the winnings have now been forfeited and the ticket is rendered worthless. However, the unclaimed funds will not go to waste. Eighty percent of the money from the unclaimed ticket will be allocated to a trust fund for education, while the remaining amount will be retained in the prize pool.
This incident marks the only unclaimed Mega Millions jackpot ticket in 2023, according to the organization's website. Notable unclaimed prizes from previous years include a $26 million jackpot in California in 2021 and a $77 million Powerball ticket in Georgia back in 2011.
When it comes to claiming Mega Millions prizes, winners have the choice between receiving their earnings as a lump sum cash payment or an annual payout. The cash option entails a one-time payment equivalent to the accumulated cash in the jackpot prize pool, while the annuity option provides winners with an initial payment followed by 29 subsequent annual payments, each 5% larger than the previous one.
