Sun Dec 08 09:30:00 UTC 2024: ## $197 Million Lottery Winner Remains Unknown as Deadline Looms
**Los Angeles, CA** – A $197.5 million Mega Millions lottery ticket purchased last December at a Chevron gas station in Encino remains unclaimed, with the deadline for the prize to be collected falling on Saturday. The California Lottery is holding its breath, hoping the winner never discovers their fortune.
“We would love to see the rightful winner get their prize money,” said Carolyn Becker, spokesperson for the California Lottery. “But if Saturday’s deadline passes, my hypothesis and hope is that the winner never knows.”
This particular winning ticket was one of only two sold nationwide in that drawing, an incredibly rare event given the multi-state nature of the Mega Millions lottery and the sheer number of California retailers selling tickets (over 23,000). If the prize goes unclaimed, the funds will benefit California schools, although a significant portion (approximately $80.5 million) will be returned to other participating states. An additional $13.8 million will be distributed to California schools.
This isn’t an uncommon occurrence; Becker stated that unclaimed lottery winnings averaging $40-50 million annually are redirected to California schools. Over the past 40 years, over $1 billion in unclaimed prizes have gone to fund education in the state. The deadline for claiming the prize is this Saturday.
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