The California State Lottery is appealing for the owner of a $2.9 million Mega Millions winning ticket to come forward as a deadline to claim the winnings looms.
The winning ticket was purchased on Dec. 12 at the SK gas station at 11280 National Blvd., in West Los Angeles, but the ticket holder has not come forward to claim the cash – with the valuable slip set to expire Friday at 7 p.m.
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If the ticket goes unclaimed, the $2.9 million will go to public schools in California.
The ticket matched the numbers 8, 23, 44, 45 and 53, just missing the Mega Number 3 the night of the drawing, according to Fox 11 LA.
Mega Millions winners who match five numbers have 180 days from the date of the draw to claim their prize.
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The winning ticket holder can claim the prize at one of the California Lottery's nine offices across the state. Alternatively, they can complete the necessary paperwork and ensure it is postmarked by Saturday.
The deadline comes after California had a close call earlier this year when the owner of a $1.765 billion Powerball jackpot win from October – the second-largest jackpot prize in history – finally came forward to claim the mammoth jackpot.
Theodorus Struyck was named as the representative of a group of winners that purchased the winning ticket at a store in Frazier Park in Kern County ahead of the Oct. 11 draw.
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Meanwhile, a Powerball ticket holder in the Golden State won more than $621,000 in Wednesday’s draw, narrowly missing out on the $185 million jackpot.
The winning numbers were 8, 44, 45, 51 and 69 with a Powerball of 12.
The grand prize now rolls over to an estimated $206 million.
