The deadline to claim a $44 million lottery ticket sold in Florida passed at midnight — and no one came forward.
The winning ticket was purchased at a Sunoco Express in Kissimmee on June 14, according to NBC affiliate WESH-TV.
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WATCH HERENavjeet Khela, the owner of the Sunoco Express, was shocked to learn his store had sold the winning lottery ticket.
"It was a shock because I got a phone call pretty early," Khela told WESH. "This is truly a substantial amount of money."
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LOTTERY
What happens to unclaimed lottery money in Florida?
Because the money was not claimed, 80% of it will go to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund to benefit education in the state of Florida.
The remaining 20 percent will be returned to the prize pool to go toward future drawings.
Even though no one claimed the ticket, the store will still receive a percentage.
Since the lotto launched in the 1980s, WESH reports that there have been 30 jackpots that have gone unclaimed.
When do Florida lottery tickets expire?
Winning tickets for the Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days (roughly six months) from the date of the drawing.
Florida Lottery Scratch-Off and Fast Play game prizes must be claimed within 60 days of the official end-of-game date.
Once that time period has passed, the ticket will expire and the funds can no longer be claimed.
