It’s the sort of thing that can happen to anyone.
There’s an itch in your palm, you had a dream or you just woke up feeling lucky so you bought a lottery ticketed and then promptly forgot about it.
Then months later, you remembered that there was a day when you went and bought a Powerball or Lotto ticket at a physical store. Life continued, you absent-mindedly tossed your potentially winning ticket in the recycle bin along with your till slip and remembered only weeks later that you entered the weekly jackpot.
Kamogelo Aphane, Corporate Affairs Specialist at Ithuba, answers some questions you may have about how to retrieve these historical results, how long you have to claim your (hopefully) millions of rands and what happens to that money of you never come forward to claim it as yours.
“Our 365-day window for claiming prizes is designed to be fair and accommodating. It allows winners ample time to come forward and collect their winnings,” Kamogelo tells Drum.
“We encourage everyone to check their tickets regularly to ensure they don’t miss out on their well-deserved prizes.”
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What would happen if you died not knowing you’d won and a loved one going through your items discovers you had the winning ticket?
“It's a fundamental principle of the National Lottery that only the actual person who placed the bet and holds the winning ticket is eligible to claim the prize,” Kamogelo explains.
“This ensures the integrity and fairness of the system.”
For historical results, where checking the draw slipped your mind, Ithuba urges consumers to go to www.nationallottery.co.za/results/lotto.
If you’ve missed the 365-day window to claim your prize, Kamogelo adds, be comforted by the fact that the money goes on to support good causes.
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“We understand the anticipation that comes with playing the National Lottery, and our aim at Ithuba is to ensure that every winner has the opportunity to claim their prize. It’s heartening to know that even if a prize goes unclaimed, the funds don’t go to waste; they go on to support causes that make a positive impact in our communities.”
