Big Lotto Prize Unclaimed

Media Release
8 October 2003
For Immediate Release

Big Lotto Prize Unclaimed

A large Lotto prize remains unclaimed with the last date for payment coming up later this month.

The time to claim the $2.6 million prize, from a ticket bought at Tutanekai Paper Plus in Rotorua last October, expires on 19 October 2003.

“It would be very disappointing if we couldn’t find the winner,” said NZLC Chief Executive Trevor Hall. “We are in the business of making winners, including both prizewinners and communities throughout New Zealand that benefit from the more than $100 million annually that we provide to the Lottery Grants Board.”

The Gambling Act 2003 provides for the 12-month limit on claims. Unclaimed prizes are returned to NZLC’s prize reserve account for redistribution to prize pools. Whatever happens, this money will be used to pay players of our games.

“This is the second large prize this year which has remained unclaimed,” said Trevor Hall. “We do our utmost to find winners, especially for big prizes like this. If anyone has Lotto tickets lying around they should take them into their local Lotto store or send them to NZLC for checking. You never know, it might be the big one.

“One of the potential benefits of a player registration system, something NZLC is considering, is that it could help locate the winners of unclaimed prizes.”

All 14 winners of the big Powerball jackpot on 13 September have claimed their prizes, as has the Guaranteed Millionaire from the Lotto draw on the same date.

ENDS

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