What happens if no one claims the $1.34 billion Mega Millions jackpot? Here's a look

Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer
·2 min read
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It has been several weeks since a ticket in Illinois won the $1.34 billion Mega Millions jackpot.

Currently, no one has come forward to claim the second-largest jackpot in the 20-year history of the game, topped only by the $1.537 billion ticket won in South Carolina in 2018.

Related: How many Mega Millions jackpots have been won in Ohio? Here's a list of regional winners.

Rules for claiming a prize, as well as the length of time one has to claim it, vary by state, according to the Mega Millions website. However, the period for claiming prizes typically ranges from 90 days to one year from the draw date.

Illinois Lottery states that winners may have up to a year to come forward. But winners of more than $250,000 may choose to remain anonymous, so we may never know the identity of the soon-to-be billionaire.

While the winner still has time to claim their prize, they have only 60 days from the draw date to choose between the cash or annuity options. Since the winning numbers were drawn on July 29, they now have 33 days left to decide.

Mega Millions:Where does the jackpot money come from? Here's a look.

What happens if no one claims the Mega Millions jackpot?

If a jackpot prize goes unclaimed within the required time limit, each participating state in the Mega Millions game will get back all the money it contributed. The states use their unclaimed lottery prizes for different purposes, but unclaimed prize money typically remains in a state's lottery fund. One-third of the fund is used to support public schools, The State Journal-Register reported.

What happens if the winning lottery ticket is lost?

Mega Millions is not responsible for lost or stolen tickets. It is advised that winners sign the back of the tickets. Unless signed, anyone in possession of the ticket can file a claim. If the ticket is lost before it was signed and someone else finds it, they can collect the prize.

How many unclaimed jackpot prizes have there been?

To date, there have only been three unclaimed jackpot prizes. Here's a running list of the unclaimed jackpots in recorded Mega Millions history.

  • Aug. 1, 2006: A $31 million jackpot went unclaimed in Queens, New York.

  • April 25, 2003: A $46 million jackpot went unclaimed in Brooklyn, New York.

  • Dec. 24, 2002: A $68 million jackpot went unclaimed in New York. The city was not specified.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Mega Millions: What if no one claims the $1.34 billion jackpot?