Kath Main, a 46-year-old mother of two, will finally receive a £12 million Lotto jackpot after her winning ticket was accidentally thrown in the bin by a shopkeeper. The National Lottery operator Allwyn confirmed the payout following an investigation that lasted over a month.
Ticket thrown away after verification
Main discovered the June 6 Lotto jackpot had remained unclaimed and recognized the winning numbers 10, 26, 30, 35, and 42, which matched the combination she has played for more than 20 years. However, the ticket had been discarded after she took it to a Londis store in Abercynon, south Wales, to be verified, where she was told it was not a winner.
Allwyn has been examining the allegation since an appeal was lodged. A spokesman for the operator confirmed the pay-out, saying: “We are the only major lottery which is able to look to pay a winner even if they have lost their ticket.”
Investigation and claim process
The spokesman added: “The investigation we conduct is designed to ensure any claim is from the rightful ticketholder. We are then able, at our discretion, to pay that player once the claim period has expired 180 days after the draw. We are proud to pay out millions of prizes as well as raising over £33million for Good Causes each week.”
Main, who serves as a rugby club treasurer, had previously spoken of the uncertainty. “I just feel sick all the time, it's the not knowing and waiting,” she said. “I saw there was an unclaimed lottery ticket and checked the numbers and realised they were mine.”
Shopkeeper's account and past winners
The Londis shop did not have CCTV because it was being refurbished. Proprietor Karan Kumar said: “The machine could have been playing up. Now they are doing an investigation. It would be amazing if she won.”
Main has revealed one ambition to travel to New Zealand for the Lions rugby tour in 2029. Some previous players have also secured big prizes after initially misplacing their tickets. Builder Andrew Clarke claimed £76 million in 2018 despite losing his ticket for six weeks, saying: “It almost feels like some magical Christmas story, the man who nearly lost £76 million!”
