$26 million lottery prize unclaimed after California winner sent ticket through wash

A $26 million lottery prize has gone unclaimed after a California woman said her ticket accidentally went into the laundry.

The winning ticket was sold at a Norwalk gas station for the Nov. 14, 2020, drawing and needed to be claimed by May 13, according to California Lottery officials. Winners have 180 days from the draw date to claim their prize.

The unnamed woman told Arco AM/PM convenience store employees that she bought the ticket but accidentally left it in her pocket when it went through the wash, said worker Esperanza Hernandez, according to Whittier Daily News.

California Lottery Center spokeswoman Cathy Johnston said at least six people made a non-ticket claim but that the woman didn’t bring in the ticket by the 5 p.m. deadline Thursday, the publication reported.

The winning numbers were 23, 36, 12, 31, 13 and the mega number of 10.

The store manager said there is surveillance footage, which was given to California Lottery officials, that shows “a woman in her 40s” bought the winning ticket, KTLA5 reported.

Lottery officials said if a ticket is ever lost, the winner has to show “substantial evidence they owned it, such as a photo or photocopy of the front and back of the ticket,” according to the station.

Johnston said Thursday that they will investigate the woman’s claim about losing the ticket.

“Every claim of this size if it is not turned in will be investigated,” Johnston said, according to the Daily News.

If the woman’s win goes unverified, the cash prize of $19.7 million will be given to California public schools. California Lottery has given schools more than $1 billion in unclaimed funds since its inception, officials said.

Lottery winner must claim $26 million prize now, or it will go to California schools