Unclaimed lotto money to go back into jackpot
Stabroek News
March 26, 2003
The Guyana Lottery Company said yesterday that an unclaimed $45M jackpot would be partly added to upcoming jackpots and other promotional prizes.
General Manager, Tracey Lewis, is also advising lotto players to keep their tickets safe after purchase to prevent a recurrence.
It is the first time ever that there has been an unclaimed jackpot since the game was launched in Guyana.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday Lewis told reporters that, on December 22, 2002 someone won the jackpot of G$45M but failed to come forward and present the ticket.
Lewis noted the lottery's policy governing the presentation of winning tickets by players for payment allows them 90 days from the date of draw to redeem the ticket; failure to do so, would make the ticket an expired ticket and thereafter invalid.
Lewis noted that the jackpot ticket sold on December 22 had expired last Friday. She asserted that steps were taken to inform the public that there was a winner of the jackpot in keeping with the company's obligations.
This included advertisements directed to players to check their tickets, especially those who had purchased tickets from the Success Gas Station.
Lewis disclosed the company's contract with the government stipulates that any amounts of unclaimed prizes would be used by Canadian Bank Note CBN for special promotion of the games, such as additional prizes awarded for separate seasonal draws.
Lewis said $20M would be added to the current jackpot which stands at $31M. She noted the new total of 51M will be at stake when the jackpot is drawn on Wednesday.
She said should someone win the $51M, the new jackpot would start at $24M instead of the usual $4M since a bonus of $20M would be added. Prizes worth $3M will be given out in the regional lotto non-winning ticket promotion. According to Lewis the remaining cash will cover marketing and advertising for the promotion.
