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Today (April 20) is the deadline to claim a winning lottery ticket that was purchased back in October. If it goes unclaimed by 5 p.m., what happens to that $1 million?
Prizes that aren't claimed within 180 days from the draw date are given back to the state for "programs authorized by the Texas Legislature," according to the Texas Lottery. Those programs include the Foundation School Fund and Fund for Veterans' Assistance, the two primary beneficiaries of the Texas Lottery. This prize in particular is expected to be distributed to the Foundation School Fund.
Surprisingly enough, the April 20 lottery ticket isn't the first to go unclaimed in recent memory, even though it's "the only active Texas Lottery draw game ticket worth $1 million or more that is yet to be claimed," WFAA reports, citing Texas Lottery officials. Back in January, a winning Mega Millions ticket from a drawing in July went unclaimed.