Instead of banking on a hefty tax return to kick off the new financial year, you could be cashing in a life-changing prize if you unearth a division one winning lottery ticket among receipts and paperwork this tax time.
There are currently eight unclaimed division one and major lottery prizes across New South Wales and ACT worth $7.8 million (see Table 1 below).
These winning tickets were not registered to a player card or an online account, so lottery officials have no way of identifying or contacting the mystery winners to unite them with their prize.
The Lott spokesperson Lauren Cooney said New South Wales and ACT lottery players had six years to claim their division one prizes but hoped no one would wait that long to come forward.
“The oldest division one winning entry we have unclaimed in New South Wales is a Saturday Lotto prize worth $1 million from a draw in 2018,” she explained.
“This ticket was purchased at Connection Newsagency in Sydney, and we haven’t heard a peep from this winner in two and a half years.
“More recently, we had an ACT player score a division one prize in Set for Life in April this year.
“They purchased their life-changing entry from Thistle Kiosk in Canberra and have a prize worth $4.8 million waiting for their collection.”
Ms Cooney said New South Wales and ACT lottery players were being urged to keep their eyes peeled for any old tickets they might find around the home, car or office.
“From old shopping bags and fridge doors, to car gloveboxes and sock drawers, Aussies certainly have a history of storing winning lottery tickets in weird and wonderful places,” she said.
“We’ve had past division one winners come forward months and even years after the draw after finding an old ticket in the back of a drawer, in the central console of their car, and at the bottom of their handbag.
“With more than $7.8 million waiting to be united with their rightful winners, it’s worth checking any old lottery tickets you might come across! You can check your tickets at any licenced lottery outlet, online at thelott.com or via The Lott app.”
Ms Cooney said the list of unclaimed prizes was a great reminder for players grabbing an entry into this weekend’s Saturday Lotto $20 Million Superdraw to register their entry to a player card or online account.
“We’re in the business of paying prizes and should you win big, you’ll want us to be able to reach out to you with the winning news,” she said.
Table 1: Unclaimed major lottery prizes across New South Wales & ACT
| Game | Draw no | Win date* | Selling outlet | Outlet suburb | State | Division 1 prize |
| Set for Life | 2072 | 8-Apr-21 | Thistle Kiosk | Woden | ACT | $4,800,000.00 |
| Saturday Lotto | 3905 | 22-Dec-18 | Connection Newsagency | Sydney | NSW | $1,018,499.24 |
| Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot 1st Prize | 1235 | 28-Feb-18 | Top End Newsagent Katoomba | Katoomba | NSW | $200,000.00 |
| Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot 1st Prize | 1278 | 15-Apr-19 | Yagoona Newsagency | Yagoona | NSW | $200,000.00 |
| Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot 1st Prize | 1411 | 2-Aug-19 | Governor Macquarie Drive Newsagency | Chipping Norton | NSW | $200,000.00 |
| Saturday Lotto | 4147 | 17-Apr-21 | Winston Hills Newsagency | Winston Hills | NSW | $1,145,653.60 |
| Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot 1st Prize | 1529 | 23-Apr-21 | Spar Express Morpeth | Morpeth | NSW | $200,000.00 |
| Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot 1st Prize | 10467 | 7-Jun-21 | Anna Bay Newsagency & Post Office | Anna Bay | NSW | $100,000.00 |
*Editor’s note: this is the draw date, not the entry purchase date. Entries could have been purchased up to 10 weeks in advance of a draw.
The Saturday Lotto $20 Million Superdraw, draw 4165, is on Saturday 19 June 2021.
The home of Australia’s Official Lotteries, The Lott operates and markets Australia’s leading lottery games customers know and love creating everyday winners, winning every day.
In 2020, more than 111.6 million winners took home more than $3.33 billion in prize money from their favourite games at The Lott, including Saturday Lotto, Monday & Wednesday Lotto, Powerball, Oz Lotto, Set for Life, Lucky Lotteries, Keno, Super 66, Lotto Strike and Instant Scratch-Its.
Last financial year, Australia’s Official Lotteries contributed more than $1.4 billion via state lottery taxes and donations to help community initiatives, such as hospitals, health research, disaster relief and education.