Big Lotto winner remains unknown

YAKIMA, Wash. — After more than two weeks, Lottery officials are still waiting to meet the winner of a $3.4 million Lotto jackpot.

"We don't want this prize to go unclaimed," said Lottery spokesperson Jacque Coe. "It's far better for $3.4 million to be picked up by a lucky person who starts out the summer loaded."

The winning ticket was sold at Cruisin' Bill's Convenience Store at 702 W. Yakima Ave. The store received a $34,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

The ticket's numbers -- 12-27-30-31-47-49 -- were drawn May 11. The recipient has 180 days to collect the prize.

Winners typically come forward within 24 to 48 hours, Coe said, adding that large prizes rarely go unclaimed. The biggest exception was a $6 million jackpot in 1993. More recently, a $1.2 million Lotto jackpot went unclaimed in 2004.

When prizes aren't collected, Coe said the money goes into an unclaimed prize fund. By law, that money goes back to players -- such as through second-chance drawings or a Lotto promotion for a trip of a lifetime. One-third of the unclaimed prize fund goes toward economic development in Washington.

In her five years with the Lottery, Coe said she can remember only two times when people knew they had a winning ticket but delayed coming forward. One person waited three weeks, another waited a month.

But each day this occurs, Coe said winners lose out on interest that could have accrued.

"On $3.4 million ticket, you want to get that in," she said. "The interest earnings can add up on that amount of money quickly."

Once they declare themselves, Coe said winners have 30 days to decide how they want to collect the prize -- either through a $1.2 million cash option after taxes, or annuity payments of $102,000 annually, after taxes, for 25 years.

Established in 1982, Washington's Lottery has generated more than $2.4 billion for a variety of state programs, including construction of education facilities, stadium debt reduction and economic development.

* Erin Snelgrove can be reached at 509-577-7684 or esnelgrove@yakimaherald.com.