Lottery officials in Massachusetts are urging 12 lucky players to come forward after winning massive $25 million prizes—each—in a newly launched game. So far, none have claimed their winnings.
The Mega Money game, which began on May 13, awarded 12 separate $25 million jackpots, totaling $300 million. But despite beating the long odds, the winners remain unknown.
According to lottery rules, players have a limited time to claim their prizes. If they fail to do so by the deadline, they forfeit the money.
Winners can choose to receive their prize in annual payments of $50,000 over 20 years. However, until they step forward, the windfall remains out of reach.
While some Mega Money games have seen better response, several prizes remain unclaimed. In a separate version of the game also launched on May 13, one out of four winners has come forward, leaving three jackpots still available. A third Mega Money version has three winners as well, but none have claimed their prizes.
Other games also show similar trends. In the $4 million Bonus Money game, only three of ten winners have claimed their rewards. The Diamond Deluxe game, which offers $15 million per ticket, still has five unclaimed prizes out of eight.
In contrast, smaller prize games show much higher claim rates. The Merry & Bright Blowout game, offering $500 prizes, has seen 11,047 of 11,088 winners collect their money. Only 41 remain unclaimed.
Officials note that lower prize games tend to generate more claims, likely because they issue more winning tickets and attract more casual players.
The Massachusetts Lottery is encouraging all players to double-check their tickets. For a full list of active games and prizes, players can visit the official lottery website.
