Summary
- A long-forgotten lottery ticket turned out to be a winner, bringing a life-enhancing AU$100,000 prize to a New South Wales player
- The lucky winner, a woman from Orange, admitted to uncovering a stack of tickets and, after realizing that she had won, claimed her prize more than 400 days after the lottery game drawing
- Depending on the state where the lottery tickets are purchased, players have a different deadline for claiming winnings
A lucky woman from Australia was holding on to a winning lottery ticket for more than a year, without realizing it made her rich. On Friday, The Lott confirmed that an Orange, New South Wales resident, who scored a six-figure Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot prize more than a year ago, unearthed her winning ticket.
The winning ticket was purchased on Friday the 13th
The incredibly fortunate woman purchased her winning ticket at Greengate Newsagency Orange West CPA located at 6 Prince Street in Orange. The winner holds the 1st Prize winning entry from Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot draw's 10874. Amazingly, the draw in question was held on Friday, September 13, 2024. While the winning ticket brought the Orange woman AU$100,000 ($65,200) prize, it has taken the woman more than 400 days to check her ticket and claim her big win. Considering that the woman's winning entry wasn't registered with The Lott Members Club, lottery officials had no way to contact the lucky winner and notify her of the prize. After more than a year, as the woman was doing a big house clean, she found a pile of old lottery tickets. Once she checked them and realized she had won, the woman was in disbelief. I’ve been having the most horrible week, and this is just the best news, the winner said while speaking to an official from The Lott. Moreover, the fortunate Orange mum said: I can’t believe it. We came into the newsagent today to confirm the win and now we’re sitting in a private room out the back. And now you’re telling me I won a major lottery prize from over one year ago. The lucky woman admitted that the lottery windfall came at the perfect moment. It’s the perfect nest egg and will allow me to enjoy life more, she explained.
Lottery players in some parts of Australia have up to seven years to collect winnings
Across Australia, the periods for claiming a lottery prize vary depending on the state where the ticket is purchased. For example, in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, players can claim lottery and instant scratch-its prizes within six years after the draw or the instant scratch-its game closure date. Once this period passes, winnings cannot be collected. On the other hand, Queensland players must claim lottery and instant scratch-its prizes within seven years and after the passing of this period, winnings are not paid out. Unlike Queensland and New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania players have 12 months from the final draw date of the lottery game or instant scratch-its game closure to claim prizes. While the periods for claiming prizes vary depending on the state in Australia, they are certainly longer than the deadline for claiming prizes in some US states or across Europe.
