Lotto Millionaire in Germany Still Unaware of Win | Tagesschau

A lottery winner in the Schwarzwald-Baar district of Germany remains unaware they hold a ticket worth one million euros, prompting a search for the unclaimed prize. Three winners of the Silvester-Millionen lottery have yet to come forward, one of whom is believed to be located in the southwestern German region.

SWR reporter Nadine Zeller investigated in Subpar Dürrheim, within the Schwarzwald-Baar district, asking residents if they might be the lucky, yet-to-be-identified winner. Responses varied, with one passerby expressing a desire to be the winner, while another stated they were content with their current level of happiness. One man questioned how someone could not check their ticket, stating, “If I play the lottery, I check to observe if I’ve won.”

According to Viktoria Kesper, a spokesperson for Lotto Baden-Württemberg, those who play anonymously, without a customer card, must retain their winning ticket to claim the prize. “If you played without a customer card, you need the valid game receipt,” Kesper stated. Without the receipt, the prize is unattainable.

Unlike many lottery wins which are claimed quickly, this prize remains unclaimed. Winners typically have three years to claim their winnings, after which the money reverts to the lottery organization. Sabine Fink, owner of a lottery agency in Bad Dürrheim, has been selling lottery tickets for 20 years and described the situation as unprecedented. “I’ve been with Lotto for 20 years now and have never experienced anything like this,” she said.

The million-euro prize remains unclaimed, leaving authorities and residents alike wondering: where is the winner?