Clock is ticking on $1M lotto prize still unclaimed 6 months after draw

The Atlantic Lottery Corporation has a million dollars burning a hole in its pocket, and it wants help getting rid of it.

It's been six months since a $1 million winning ticket was sold in the Charlottetown area.

Under lottery rules, the prize must be claimed within one year, or the money goes back in the pot.

"We're halfway there at the moment and there's still plenty of time left for someone to come forward and we really hope that somebody does," said Greg Weston, senior communications council, Atlantic Lottery Corporation.

The winning Lotto 649 ticket was sold Dec. 22 in the Charlottetown area. 

The winners have still not claimed their prize.

"We're doing everything we can to try to get the word out there," said Weston. "We've had million dollar winners over the past few months in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, so we'd love to come to P.E.I. and give out a million dollars there as well."

Check coats, purses, books

Prizes don't often go unclaimed this long, according to the lottery corporation. After the winner comes forward and the ticket is verified, the lottery corporation will announce the retail location where the big ticket was sold. The business owner will receive a one percent sellers' bonus. 

Weston suggests checking pockets of winter coats and purses. He also suggests people try to remember what books they read over Christmas.

"In case somebody used it as bookmark," said Weston.

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