$22m in lottery wins Australians don’t seem to want

MORE than two dozen Aussies have scored major lottery wins worth more than $20m, but they don’t know it yet.

Across Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Western Australia there are 25 people who are yet to claim their winnings, which are worth $22,284,117.

In NSW, there are 11 unclaimed wins worth more than $9.5m. Queensland winners are missing out on more than $5.5m and Victoria has two major winners who can collect more than $1.2m.

Western Australia has three major unclaimed prizes totally $5.9m.

The most significant unclaimed prize, $4.8m, is waiting for a Set for Life division one winner to claim it. It was won in April 2021 by a purchaser in Canberra.

The winning tickets were not issued to player cards, so lottery officials have no way of contacting the winners to give them their prizes.

The Lott spokesman James Eddy has urged Australians to check old tickets in case they’re a lucky winner.

“We know that up to half of Australian adults will have an entry into this Thursday’s Powerball draw, hoping to win the jackpot,” Mr Eddy said.

“But some Aussies have already won big, and their prize is just waiting to be claimed.

“With millions in unclaimed major prizes just waiting to be taken home, there’s millions of reasons to dig around the house, car, or even old shopping bags for potentially life-changing tickets.

“We’ve had winners come forward in the past having found an old ticket under the fridge, in the back of a drawer, or tucked away in the glovebox of their car.

“It could certainly pay to sweep the premises and search for any entries that may have wandered out of sight and mind.

“If you do discover an old ticket, be sure check it in-store or online to see if you’re one of our elusive winners.”

In Queensland, winners are allowed up to seven years to claim their prizes.