Finland’s largest-ever lottery jackpot is still to be claimed by the lucky people who bought the winning ticket. The state lottery monopoly Veikkaus said that it still doesn’t know who bought the winning lottery ticket from a Prisma hypermarket in Loimaa, southwest Finland, three weeks ago. The winning ticket was purchased as a group coupon.
Veikkaus communications chief Tomi Auremaa said that company employees have been pondering why no one has stepped forward to claim the prize.
“There may be many reasons. For example, it could be that the winner or winners don’t even know they have won,” he speculated.
The prize draw is followed by a three-week waiting period, after which the jackpot can be claimed. That period has now expired, clearing the way for the winners to collect on their bets.
“This is quite a mystery. No one has any idea where the winners are,” Auremaa declared.
The communications manager said that answering the phone has become fraught with excitement.
“Every call could have been one of the winners, but so far only reporters have been calling in,” Auremaa quipped.
The lucky winner or winners have one year to collect the prize.