Aussies are being urged to treat their lottery ticket like it’s worth millions of dollars… because one day it just might be!
Each year, more than 500 Aussies experience the thrill of a division one win, but sometimes the journey to claiming the prize is rocky.
The Lott spokesperson Anna Hobdell said she had witnessed an extraordinary range of winning ticket mishaps over the years, including entries scorched by irons, blackened by laminators, left to fade on fridges, buried in shopping bags, and even mistakenly thrown in the bin.
“Sometimes people forget that when you buy your winning ticket in-store, you need to present it to collect your prize,” she said.
“However, by registering your ticket with The Lott Members Club, you can ensure your prize is securely linked to you. It’s free and provides peace of mind that, even if your physical ticket is lost, damaged, or accidentally discarded, you can still be united with your prize.”
10 things NOT to do with your lottery ticket
- Don’t laminate it
One sentimental division one winner wanted to preserve their winning ticket as a keepsake and ran it through a laminator. Instead of preserving the moment, they watched in horror as the ticket turned completely black.
- Don’t iron it
Earlier this year, a division one winner tried to iron out a few wrinkles in their lottery ticket before they presented it to The Lott headquarters. As a result, a scorched ticket began to darken before their eyes. Thankfully, the essential ticket number and key details were still readable, allowing the prize to be claimed - but it was a close call.
- Don’t leave it on the dashboard or near heat
Lottery tickets are printed on thermal paper, just like receipts. Leaving them on a hot appliance, a sunny car console, or near any heat source can cause the ink to fade or disappear entirely.
- Don’t bin it
It can pay to double-check your lottery tickets before disposing of them. A Blue Mountains couple saved their winning Weekday Windfall ticket from landfill just in time. Another woman in Park Holme was brought to tears when she realised her half-torn Lucky Lotteries ticket was worth a life-enhancing $100,000.
- Don’t keep it unchecked on the fridge
Even when left in plain sight, it can be easy for a ticket to go unnoticed. A Brighton couple had a $20 million Powerball ticket stuck to their fridge for days before checking it. Another couple in Dubbo found a Lucky Lotteries ticket worth $100,000 hiding behind fridge magnets.
- Don’t bury it in a shopping bag
It’s worth clearing out shopping bags as you go to ensure no tickets get left behind or forgotten. A Newcastle man found his missing $1 million ticket while unpacking groceries. It had been tucked away in a shopping bag, forgotten among the receipts and snacks.
- Don’t keep it in storage
A Coburg man unearthed a winning ticket worth millions while searching for his passport — 244 days after the draw. The $1 million ticket had been sitting in storage, waiting patiently to be discovered. Similarly, a Nelson Bay man stumbled upon a gifted Instant Scratch-Its ticket worth $100,000 at the bottom of an old gift bag.
- Don’t leave it in the glovebox
A Wollongong man found his $100,000 Lucky Lotteries ticket in the glovebox while giving his car a deep clean. Meanwhile, a Nambucca Heads couple forgot about their Saturday Lotto ticket and later found they had won $2.5 million, with the prize sitting in their car all along.
Many Aussies are given lottery or Instant Scratch-Its tickets as gifts, but in some cases, these tickets remain unchecked in birthday or Christmas cards for extended periods of time. One man from Wonthaggi unwrapped the surprise of a lifetime, realising almost six months after the draw the TattsLotto ticket his wife slipped into his Christmas card was worth a jaw-dropping $2.1 million.
- Don’t leave it in your Christmas or birthday card
Recently, a division one winner submitted only part of their Syndicate share ticket, discarding the remainder under the assumption it was unnecessary. If you purchase a Syndicate ticket, refrain from cutting it into sections, even if it appears lengthy. Fortunately, after completing a Lost/Damaged Ticket Search Form, the winner was ultimately able to claim their prize.
