Hunt is on for £40 Million Jackpot Winner from Dorset

A single entry matched the numbers 18, 31, 32, 38 and 48, plus Lucky Stars 4 and 12, making it the seventh jackpot to have been won in the UK this year. However, two weeks have now passed without the winner contacting the National Lottery to start the claims process.

All UK winners have 180 days from a draw taking place to when the prize expires, but it is the National Lottery’s policy to say where tickets for the biggest prizes were sold once a fortnight has gone by. This is to jog the memories of players in that location so they can check their tickets.

EuroMillions fans in Dorset have now been urged to look through their old entries, with National Lottery spokesman Patrick Lisoire admitting it is ‘not very common’ to have such a large unclaimed prize.

“People are predisposed to checking the tickets they've bought, but for whatever reason - the busy lives we lead, or the lead-up to Christmas - somebody hasn't quite got round to checking their tickets,” said Lisoire.

The precise location where the ticket was sold has not been narrowed down any more than the county of Dorset, as it may compromise the winner’s identity if they would like to remain anonymous when they do come forward.

What If The Ticket Has Been Lost?

The next couple of weeks are pivotal in the hunt for the winner, as it is still possible to submit an appeal over a lost ticket within 30 days of the date of the draw. If you think you may have a winning ticket but can’t find your entry, you need to contact the National Lottery and give as much information as possible.

You must provide details such as the day and time when you bought your ticket, as well as the name and location of the store. Indicate how many entries you purchased, which dates it was valid for and how you think the ticket was lost. 

The National Lottery can then consider your appeal and check against its own records to see whether the information matches up. It is possible that it will pay out once the 180-day deadline has passed if nobody else comes forward with a valid claim, although it is not obliged to do so.

After 30 days, the only way to claim a prize is to come forward with the winning ticket. The final date for this latest jackpot will therefore be 31st May 2020. If the prize is not claimed in time, the money will be donated to good causes.

Do Players Leave It Late To Claim Prizes?

The majority of big winners claim their jackpots within the first couple of weeks. Steve and Lenka Thomson from Selsey in Sussex spoke to the press just seven days after their £105 million win in November, while the £170 million winner from October staked their claim within 48 hours of the record draw.

However, some players prefer to wait to come forward or simply do not get round to checking their tickets very regularly. This time last year, a £76 million jackpot from 2nd November was still unclaimed heading towards the Christmas period. Andrew Clark, a builder from Boston in Lincolnshire, was eventually announced as the winner. He revealed that his family had kept bugging him to look at the old tickets he had stashed in his van, but it took him six weeks to do so.

A media campaign in the Boston and Skegness had helped to raise awareness of the big win, and similar publicity events can now be expected in Dorset over the next few weeks to try and track down the latest winner. Meanwhile, there will continue to be big jackpots on offer every Tuesday and Friday, and you can check the latest EuroMillions Results after every draw.