Lottery officials are urging players to check their old tickets as a $1.1 million prize from Illinois remains unclaimed nearly a year after the draw. The winning ticket was from a Lucky Day Lotto draw held on September 8, 2024, at Miskas Liquor in Chicago.
The prize must be claimed by September 8, 2025, or it will expire. Illinois Lottery rules require prizes to be claimed within one year of the draw date.
Another Lucky Day Lotto prize of $550,015 from the April 27, 2025, draw is also unclaimed. This ticket was purchased at Circle K on East Main Street in Streator, Illinois.
Additionally, a $300,000 prize from the May 14, 2025, draw remains unclaimed. The ticket was bought at Howard BP in Evanston, Illinois.
The Lucky Day Lotto is an Illinois-only game with midday and evening draws. Players pick five numbers from 1 to 45. Jackpots start at $100,000. The game is popular because it offers better odds than larger national lotteries.
The odds of winning the Lucky Day Lotto jackpot are about 1 in 1.2 million, compared to Powerball’s 1 in 292 million and Mega Millions’ 1 in 303 million. However, Powerball and Mega Millions usually have much bigger jackpots.
In related news, two Mega Millions tickets sold in Colorado remain unclaimed. A $10,000 ticket from a December 2024 draw will expire on June 22, while a $30,000 ticket from a December draw will expire on June 25.
In most states, Mega Millions prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing. Lottery officials remind players to check their tickets and claim prizes before deadlines pass.
