$1 million lottery prize is unclaimed for third time this year, Michigan officials say

Michigan residents apparently aren’t checking their lottery tickets, as a $1 million prize went unclaimed on Thursday -- for the third time this year, the state lottery said.

The lottery reported the ticket “expired at 4:45 p.m. and was purchased at the Speedway gas station located at 10070 Highland Road in Hartland.” The money now goes to the state School Aid Fund, the lottery said.

Powerball tickets are valid for one year after the drawing date, the lottery said.

According to WWJ Newsradio 950, the three opportunities people missed to win the $1 million lottery this year do not compare to the unclaimed prize missed in 1998.

“The record for an unclaimed Lottery prize in Michigan was set in 1998 when a $34 million prize went unclaimed,” the outlet said. “The winning Michigan Lotto game ticket was purchased at the Meijer located at 1350 West Lake Lansing Road in East Lansing.”

The outlet also reported, “in the 2018 fiscal year, the Lottery provided more than $941.3 million for Michigan’s public schools, its fourth record contribution in a row. Since it began in 1972, the Lottery has contributed more than $22 billion to support public education in Michigan.”