Unclaimed Lottery Tickets: The rules and how to claim winnings
In the UK, significant amounts of National Lottery winnings go unclaimed. Despite a six-month window to claim their prizes, some fortunate ticket holders haven't yet come forward.
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00:00Many of us dream of winning the National Lottery jackpot, but what if you've already won without
00:04even knowing it? I'm Alex Nelson, Jobs and Finance Specialist with National World,
00:09with everything you need to know. Shockingly, many National Lottery prizes go unclaimed,
00:15and despite having six months to claim their winnings, some lucky winners haven't yet come
00:19forward. You could even have a winning ticket stashed away in a wallet, purse, or saved in
00:25an online account. If you do find you are sitting on an unclaimed ticket, your winnings must be
00:30claimed within 180 days. That's about six months from the date of the original draw. If no claim
00:37is made within this period, the prize money and any interest earned is allocated to National
00:41Lottery projects across the UK. For prizes of ยฃ500 or less, you can claim in-store at a National
00:48Lottery retailer. That is, an authorised store or outlet where you can purchase lottery tickets,
00:54like a newsagent, supermarkets or petrol station, that are officially approved by the National
00:59Lottery to sell tickets. Winnings between ยฃ500 and ยฃ50,000 can be claimed online,
01:06but prizes over ยฃ50,000, including monthly set-for-life winnings, require you to call the
01:11National Lottery on 0333 234 5050 to confirm and arrange your claim. If your ticket is damaged or
01:19destroyed, fear not. You may still be able to claim, but you must file an appeal within 30 days
01:24of the draw date. For more details and information on how to claim, visit the National Lottery website.