For many people in south-east London, the thought of winning the lottery and becoming an overnight millionaire would be a wonderful dream. For one person, however, that dream is now a nightmare after missing the deadline to claim a jackpot of more than £10m.
National lottery players have 180 days to claim their winnings, but are entitled to nothing after the deadline has passed. Despite an “extensive search”, the national lottery said no valid claim had been made for a jackpot worth £10.6m for a Lotto ticket bought in Bexley on 4 October last year.
The deadline passed last Thursday, leaving Bexley’s would-be millionaire empty-handed. The jackpot will instead be donated to good causes supported by the lottery.
Allwyn, the operator of the national lottery, said it was rare for such a large jackpot not to be claimed. A spokesperson said: “The majority of prizes that would go unclaimed would be the smaller-tier prizes. It’s very unusual for a prize of this size to go unclaimed.”
There are five “major” national lottery prizes, worth more than £3.2m, that are yet to be claimed. Three are £1m EuroMillions or Lotto tickets.
Andy Carter, the senior winners’ adviser at Allwyn, said: “Despite an extensive search for the mystery Bexley millionaire, I can confirm that the ticket-holder did not come forward to claim their Lotto prize and has now unfortunately missed out on this life-changing sum of money.”
In words unlikely to comfort the ticket holder, Carter added: “The money will now benefit good causes and add to the £33m raised each week for national lottery-funded projects, several of which can be found in the Bexley area.”
Projects that the lottery has supported in Bexley include the Exchange Erith, a community-led arts and crafts organisation, and You and Me Happy Family Children’s Disability Trust, which delivers inclusive support for disabled children and their carers.