By Monique Tamminga
Black Press
B.C. Lottery Corporation is still ‘waiting with baited breath’ for someone to claim the winning $50 million lottery ticket sold in Langley nearly four months ago, confirmed a BCLC spokesperson.
Time is ticketing by without anyone coming forward to claim the large prize that came from matching all seven numbers on the March 14 Lotto Max draw.
A person could live on the interest alone, said BCLC.
Lotto Max winners have one year from the draw date printed on the ticket to claim their prize.
“In the absence of anyone coming forward to claim the massive prize, we continue to hear some incredible theories and rumours about the winner from lottery players,” says Kevin Gass, vice-president of lottery gaming. “The truth is, until the winner comes forward, we don’t know their story or why they may have waited so long.”
“We estimate the winner would have accrued more than $150,000 in interest over the last two months had they already collected their prize.”
As for the rumour that a 17-year-old won and hasn’t been able to claim the prize because they are underage, BCLC said that isn’t true.
Someone under the age of 19 can purchase lottery tickets. If that person wins, the winnings would be held in trust by an adult and the funds released to them when they are legal age, confirmed BCLC.
BCLC can’t reveal the location where the winning ticket was purchased because that is all part of the review process when the winner comes forward, said BCLC.
BCLC always announces winners and where the winning ticket was purchased after the winner comes forward.
No top lottery prize won in B.C. has ever gone unclaimed.