A lucky Mega Millions lottery ticket sold in San Diego County more than two months ago is worth big bucks but remains unclaimed, according to California Lottery officials.
The ticket – worth a whopping $2.6 million – was sold in December at Square Bottle Liquor located at 21 Naples St. in Chula Vista. The ticket successfully matched five out of six numbers in the record-breaking Mega Millions drawing on Dec. 17, 2013, missing only the Mega number 7.
The winning five numbers were 8, 20, 14, 17 and 39.
Per game rules, California Lottery officials say every winner has 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prize. For this unknown winner, the clock continues to tick. Lotto officials say the winner may have the ticket stashed in a drawer somewhere or never checked it.
If the winning ticket belongs to you, officials say you should sign the back of the ticket and claim the prize at the San Diego District California Lottery Office located at 5656 Ruffin Rd. or call (858) 492-1700.
Last month, two San Diego women who purchased a lucky Mega Millions ticket together at Fuller Liquor and Deli on Rosecrans Street came forward to claim their prize, also worth more than $2.6 million. Their lucky ticket also matched five of six numbers in the Dec. 17 Mega Millions drawing.
Ultimately, the colossal $648 million jackpot in that record-breaking drawing was won by San Jose, Calif., resident Steve Tran and Georgia resident Ira Curry, who wound up splitting the prize.
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Regardless of whether a winner comes forward or not for this outstanding $2.6 million ticket, game officials say the liquor store that sold it will receive around $13,000 as a prize for selling the winning slip.
If the ticket is never claimed, lotto officials say the prize money will go toward support for California public schools. During the last fiscal year, more than $22 million in lottery winnings went unclaimed in California.
