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A winning lottery ticket worth $1.34 billion dollars was sold in Illinois last month and no one has come forward to claim the money. According to ABC7, the Mega Millions jackpot was drawn, and the winner purchased it at the Speedway off of Touhy Avenue in Des Plaines. It has been nearly 30 days since the winning numbers were announced with no word from the winner. Officials mentioned how bizarre it is that no one has come forward to claim the huge prize yet.
"For a prize of this magnitude, it's not unusual for the winner to take a while to claim," Illinois Lottery Director Harold Mays told ABC7, "I'm sure they're going through a range of emotions."
ABC7 mentioned that those who receive winnings over $250,000 can choose to remain anonymous. These lucky winners are "encouraged" by lottery officials to schedule a private appointment to claim their winnings and seek legal advice regarding the money that they won.
"We will work closely with the winner to respect any wishes for privacy, and support them in any way we can to provide a positive winning experience," Mays said.
If the winner does not come forward to claim their prize after 12 months, they will no longer be eligible for the money.