A French lottery winner has missed out on a staggering €13 million (£11m) prize after failing to claim it within the 60-day deadline, in what operator La Française des Jeux (FDJ) described as an 'exceptional' situation. The winning ticket was purchased on April 24 in the Orne department, matching numbers 12, 16, 2, 20, 26 and the Chance number 2.
Public Appeals Unanswered
FDJ issued public appeals via media and during televised draws on TF1, urging the winner to come forward. Despite these efforts, the player did not contact the major winners' department. A FDJ representative stated, 'It has been three weeks since we issued a public appeal via the media to get the word out. Announcements were also made during the lottery draw broadcasts.'
Prize Returned to Pot
After the deadline passed at 11:59 pm on June 22, the entire sum was put back into play as winnings across various draw games. The FDJ representative confirmed it was the 'biggest unclaimed prize,' surpassing the previous record of €8 million from 2011. On average, only two cases of forgotten tickets are recorded each year.
Confidentiality Rules Prevent Disclosure
Adding to the mystery, FDJ knew which retail outlet sold the ticket but could not reveal the details publicly due to confidentiality rules. This left the winner potentially unaware of their life-changing windfall.
Similar Unclaimed Prize in UK
This incident follows a similar story in the UK, where a £12 million Lotto jackpot in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, remains unclaimed as of June 23. The winning ticket matched numbers 08, 10, 26, 30, 35, and 42, with a deadline of December 3. Andy Carter, senior winners' advisor at Allwyn, called it an 'incredible win' and urged players to check their tickets.
