Did you buy a Mass Cash ticket in 2006?
A Megabucks ticket in 2004?
A Mega millions ticket in 2006?
If you did, check your old coat pockets, dig to the back of that drawer, you could have forgotten a fortune!
We obtained this list never before public showing all the unclaimed lottery jackpots in Massachusetts. It's almost 12 million dollars last year alone!
Mark Cavanagh, Massachusetts Lottery, executive director"I think its unfortunate, because people play to win, and we want our winners to be happy."
Every lottery transaction comes through this tight security computer room at lottery HQ and that means the lottery knows exactly where winning tickets were sold.
From the Corner Mart In Quincy, someone is due $100,000.
From The Angkor Wat market in Revere, someone is due 250,000.
Of course the lottery notifies the stores who sell the winners in games like daily numbers and megabucks, because sellers get a percent of the loot.
Kappy's in East Boston got big bucks in 2004 they sold this winning Megabucks ticket.
Hank Phillippi Ryan "Do you have your old tickets?"
Customer"Couple of them, yes."
But individual stores are not required to post signs seeking out missing winners and some Kappy's mystery customer is still due more than a million dollars!
Hank Phillippi Ryan "What will you do now?"
Customer"Go home and check them!"
The lottery has no idea who bought that wining ticket or any other. What's more, they're not in business of finding out.
Hank Phillippi Ryan "Why don't you look for these people?"
Mark Cavanagh, Massachusetts Lottery, executive director"People have to be diligent, they have to hold up their end of the bargain. We sell the ticket, but they have to check the number."
At Newbridge Variety in Danvers a 2004 Mass Millions winner is losing almost $50,000. At the Tedeschis in Dorchester, a 2006 Mass Cash buyer is missing out on $100,000.
Customer"That's a whole lot money that's sitting out there"
But you may be thinking wait, the back of the ticket says all lottery prizes must be claimed within one year. If I found an old ticket from 2004, I'd be out of luck.
Kind of like Clarence Jackson. He had this winning lottery ticket in Connecticut in 2003.
Clarence Jackson, CT lottery player"My sister found it in my fathers wallet."
He missed the deadline by one day and missed out on 2.3 million dollars.
Clarence Jackson, CT lottery player"I've dreamed about it many times, and it's a nightmare."
Massachusetts tickets also expire after a year. But here's the scoop: Lottery officials told us you may still be in the money.
Hank Phillippi Ryan "So even if the time is up, you would pay?"
Mark Cavanagh, Massachusetts Lottery, executive director"I do have the ability to pay out a ticket that's expired, if the circumstances warrant."
In some states, lotteries list all the unclaimed jackpots and now, after our inquiries, the Mass Lottery will look into putting a similar list on line.
But till then, hey. You bought the lottery tickets, now make sure you don't have a forgotten fortune.
Customer "Because you never know, you could be that lucky winner that just doesn't pay attention."
Could you be missing out on money? We've now got a list of places where a winning ticket was sold–but where no one has yet claimed the cash:
Mass Cash 4/26/2005$100,000BIG Y #02800 BOSTON RD
SPRINGFIELD
Mass Cash4/26/2005$100,000VILLAGE FOOD SHOP37 HIGH STDANVERSMega Millions6/24/2005$250,000
SUPER STATION
942 SOUTH STFITCHBURGMass Cash12/8/2006$100,000VFW SOLOMON POST12 PHINNEY STBILLERICAMegabucks5/26/2004$1,084,359KAPPY'S LIQUORS E. BOSTONMass Millions9/9/2004$49,711NEW BRIDGE VARIETY DANVERSMass Cash 6/23/2006$100,000TEDESCHI'S DORCHESTERMass Cash6/30/2006$100,000CORNER MART171 WEST ST. QUINCYMass Millions1/10/2006$250,000ANGKOR WAT MARKET136 SHIRLEYREVERE
The lottery also has hundreds of other smaller jackpot winners, check their website to see if you could have the lucky ticket: http://www.masslottery.com/WinnersData/PastWinners.htm
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