Want to hear a ridiculous story about Story County, Iowa?
An Iowa Lottery ticket purchased at an Ames convenience store won $1,000,000 last September and has yet to be claimed.
It gets better. According to Lottery officials, a $1,000,000 prize has only gone unclaimed once in state history. Ironically, it was also won in Story County.
Could this Scenario repeat on its own?
The Iowa Lottery’s Mega Millions winning ticket matched numbers on four of six white balls for the third-highest prize, narrowly missing the $191 million jackpot that could have been won by hitting the green Mega Ball.
Mega Millions winners from 2022 have one year to cash in their tickets, said Iowa Lottery’s Mary Neubauer.
“We’re trying to do all we can to find that winner. … Usually, a prize this size is claimed fairly quickly. When it comes to $1,348,290, it’s unusual that a prize of this size has been sitting out there as long as it has.”
The Lottery has highlighted the unclaimed prize in several press releases. Clues are also posted inside The Filling Station where the ticket was sold.
On June 6, the store and Iowa Lottery officials will host an event to publicize the situation. The event is open to the public. Giveaways include several free play entries for upcoming Mega Millions drawings, Neubauer said.
“We just want to do our best to give one last push to remind people about this prize. Of course, there’s a year to claim the prize. But as more and more time goes by, it just becomes that much less likely that it would happen.”
With approximately three months before it expires, it’s still unknown if this Story County ticket will have a happy ending.
Possible details for the lacking winner
It boggles the mind to think about leaving lottery winnings unclaimed, let alone $1 million. Conspiracy theories aside, what could have happened?
Simple explanations include losing or accidentally discarding the ticket. Someone might have left their ticket in pants that went through the washer. Perhaps the buyer threw the ticket in the glovebox and forgot about it.
However, the most likely explanation is that an out-of-towner purchased the ticket.
The drawing took place just after Labor Day weekend when many Americans were on the road. The Filling Station and adjacent Gate Express provide a barbecue restaurant, gas station, and convenience store along US-30, just a few miles from the junction with I-35.
What goes on if period runs out there?
According to Neubauer, prizes this large should be claimed in person. Although it is unlikely, an out-of-state resident could be waiting for a planned summer visit to collect their windfall.
If the prize goes unclaimed, it is returned to the lottery prize pool for future games or promotions. In 2018, the Iowa Lottery held a promotion shortly after a $1,000,000 ticket expired that was won and split by a group of co-workers from Cedar Rapids.
Fortunately for the Filling Station, they receive $1,500 for selling the winning ticket, whether it is claimed or not.
How to receive Iowa Lotto tickets
The Iowa Lottery has awarded almost $2 billion throughout its 38-year history.
Since April, the Lottery shortened its claim period on all games from one year to 180 days for winners to collect their prizes. Each game has different redemption rules, but prizes up to $600 can usually be redeemed at retail locations.
Larger prizes, over $250,000, must be claimed at an Iowa Lottery office by submitting a claim and providing proof of identification. Prizes greater than $250,000 require a visit to the Lottery’s headquarters in Clive.
Click here for a complete guide to redeeming Iowa Lottery tickets. Interestingly, the current list of unclaimed Iowa Lottery prizes over $600 is quite long.
