Lottery warning to check tickets for unclaimed $40,000 Mega Millions prize – and it was bought at a gas station

SOMEONE out there might be the winner of $40,000, but has yet to claim it.

Mega Millions players should take a minute to check their tickets for an unclaimed prize.

North Dakota residents should look for their old lottery tickets because they might have a winning number.

They should do it quickly as the time to claim is almost up and they might lose out.

This winning North Dakota ticket was drawn on December 12, 2023, at Pinnacle Express — a gas station in Stanley.

The last date to claim this prize comes in merely 29 days on June 9, 2024.

This Mega Millions winner got a Match 4 plus a Mega Ball with a Megaplier, snagging them $40,000.

Just in case you want to check your numbers, they were: 8-23-44-45-53 with a 3 Mega Ball and a 4x Megaplier.

Winners have a window of one year from the drawing date to claim their prize.

Failure to step forward by June 9 will result in the prize being allocated to the State's General Fund.

PLAYING THE GAME

Mega Millions tickets are priced at $2 per play.

To participate, select six numbers from two distinct pools of numbers: either five unique numbers ranging from 1 to 70 for the white numbers, and one number from 1 to 25 for the gold Mega Ball.

The Mega Millions jackpot is won by matching all six numbers drawn in the lottery.

If you prefer not to select your own numbers or wish to leave it to chance, Mega Millions offers a random number generator on its website.

This feature allows a computer to generate random options for both white balls and the Mega Ball.

Players have the option to include the Megaplier for an additional $1, which can multiply non-grand prize winnings by two, three, four, or five times.

Players can win Mega Millions by matching various combinations.

While anyone would love to win the jackpot, not everyone can. Here are all the different ways to win Mega Millions:

• Matching the mega ball alone wins $2.
• The mega ball plus one white ball wins $4.
• Any three balls win $10.
• Three white balls and the mega ball wins $200.
• Four white balls win $500.
• Four white balls and the mega ball wins $10,000.
• Five white balls win $1 million.
• Matching all five white balls and the mega ball wins the jackpot.

The Megaplier is drawn prior to the Mega Millions numbers on Tuesdays and Fridays.

In total, there are 15 Megaplier balls available:

• 2X, five balls
• 3X, six balls
• 4X, three balls
• 5X, one ball

IF YOU WIN

If you win a prize below $600, you can typically collect your winnings from a licensed retailer in the state where you purchased your ticket, according to Lotto America.

However, some retailers may have policies against paying out certain prize amounts, or they might not have sufficient cash on hand to fulfill your request.

In such cases, you can try another retailer, visit your local lottery office, or mail your ticket to your state lottery to claim your winnings.

If you choose to mail your ticket to your state lottery office, you must include a prize claim form and provide proof of identity, following the guidelines set by your state lottery.

Prizes of $600 and above can be claimed at your state lottery offices or designated claim centers.

It might also be possible to claim these prizes by mail, but it's advisable to inquire with your local office first.

In other news, a novice lottery player said that she was left in disbelief when she scored a substantial win, causing her to fall out of her chair.

And another player unintentionally secured a $400,000 prize in a lottery contest he had no knowledge of entering.