ITHUBA Calls on Players to Claim R257 Million in Unclaimed Lottery Prizes
ITHUBA, the operator of South Africa’s National Lottery, has called on participants to check their tickets, as over R257 million in lottery prizes remain unclaimed as of October 2024. Players are reminded they have 365 days to claim their winnings before the prizes are forfeited and redirected to community projects.
Millions in Unclaimed Prizes
Among the unclaimed winnings is a PowerBall PLUS jackpot worth over R3.4 million, purchased in Louis Trichardt on 19 January 2024. This prize will expire on 19 January 2025 if not claimed. Another significant unclaimed prize is a Daily LOTTO win of R640,100, bought in Carletonville, Gauteng, on 5 January 2024, with the claim deadline set for 5 January 2025.
If winnings are not claimed within the 365-day period, the amounts are forfeited and allocated to the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) to support various community initiatives.
How to Claim Winnings
Participants can check their tickets at retail stores or ITHUBA offices. For those who played via digital platforms such as banking apps, the National Lottery website, or the mobile app, winnings below R249,000 are automatically paid into bank accounts or credited to lottery wallets.
For winnings exceeding R249,000, ITHUBA contacts the winners within 24 working hours to guide them through the secure claim process at an ITHUBA regional office.
CEO’s Appeal to Players
ITHUBA CEO, Charmaine Mabuza, urged all players who participated in the past year to check and validate their tickets: “It is always unfortunate and anticlimactic when winners do not follow up on their well-deserved prizes. We appeal to all National Lottery participants to write their names at the back of their tickets and store them safely after playing. We also encourage participants to use our social media pages, website, and digital app to check the winning numbers once they have played.”
Recommended