What happens to unclaimed lottery prizes
Did you know that every year an average of 50 million euros in prizes from the different draws organised by Loterías y Apuestas del Estado go unclaimed and uncollected? Misplaced, misplaced, stolen... any reason can be avoided if you validate your bets through our website but... what happens with the unclaimed prizes? Where does that money go?
Every year an average of 50 million euros in prizes from the draws organised by Loterías y Apuestas del Estado go unclaimed. Most of them correspond to small prizes, withdrawals or smaller amounts that do not represent big losses for the bettor, and to tickets for the Lotería de Navidad and Lotería del Niño because, according to the sources consulted, they are bought well in advance and it is easier for them to get lost in bags, books or any drawer at home. Who hasn"t found a lottery ticket from years ago? It"s better not to check if you"ve won to avoid disappointment.
Who takes the money from the lottery that has not been won?
The answer is: everyone. The amount of unclaimed lottery prizes goes into the public coffers as it is added to the profits made by the Sociedad Estatal de Loterías y Apuestas del Estado. However, regardless of the game, Christmas Lottery, Lotería del Niño, Lotería Nacional, La Primitiva, Bonoloto, El Gordo, Euromillones, La Quiniela or Quinigol, you have to wait three months (counting from the day after the draw is held) to write off the prize as lost. In 2020, as a consequence of the home confinement due to the pandemic, Loterías y Apuestas del Estado stopped the draws and extended in an extraordinary way all the expiry periods to collect the prizes of draws already held and which were still valid.
Uncollected millionaire prizes
In Spain, it is known that one lucky winner of the million-euro Euromillions draw never showed up to collect his prize. That ticket was validated in a lottery administration in Miranda de Ebro, in Burgos. Also with the same game but in Great Britain, a prize of 68 million euros remained uncollected. In any case, we insist, to avoid this happening it is always better to validate your bets through La Bola de Cristal"s website where you can avoid any loss and the way to redeem the prize is very simple.
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