ALC looking for winner before $1M ticket expires

The winner of a $1 million lottery ticket sold on P.E.I. has just a few weeks left to claim their prize.

Atlantic Lottery Corporation is trying to get the word out about the winning 649 ticketpurchased on Dec. 22,2018, somewhere in Charlottetown.The ticket will expire after one year.

"We're just encouraging everyone to you know, check old coats, drawers, the glove box of your car anywhere you might have put a ticket 12 months ago," said Greg Weston, senior communications counsel with ALC.

If no one comes forward to claim the prize by Dec. 22,Weston said the money will be redistributed to future prizes.

Unusually long wait

Weston said most winners come forward within a few weeks to claim their prize. He said long waits are uncommon, but "every once in a while, things go a little bit longer."

"I know last year we had somebody who waited, I think it was maybe sixmonths," Weston said. "They were doing home renovations and they just didn't have time to, you know, check all their tickets. And then they found a big pile once they were finished.

"So there's any number of reasons why somebody could you know, take a little while longer."

Weston noted it's possible the winner could be someone who was visiting P.E.I. during the holiday season last year, and he said ALC is trying to "spread a wide net," inhopes of finding the winner, wherever they may be.

A good reminder

Dan Fraser sayshe buys lottery tickets every once in a while, andsaid it's hard to imagine missing out on such a big prize. At the same time, he said he understands how it could happen.

"I tend to not check them all the time, but at least I put them somewhere in the house where I know where they are. But I don't check them every week, I could have a wad of them for a while," Fraser said.

Kevin Jerez buys lottery tickets regularly, and said hesometimes does not check them for months.But he said hearing about the unclaimed ticket is a good reminder.

"Get your tickets checked. I mean, that's a million dollars. That'll go a long ways."

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