Unclaimed Millions of $$
Many people buy the lottery on a whim, when the prize looks inviting or they happen to pass by a lottery outlet while shopping and they are feeling lucky that day. The problem is after placing the bet they don’t check back to see if they won anything. I’m guilty of this once or twice, I remember seeing a lottery ticket in one of my drawers with its numbers completely faded (lottery tickets here in the Philippines are printed using thermal paper and I not sure if the ticket will survive the 1 year period for claiming prizes won).
Statistics for the New York lottery winners who have failed to claim their prizes for 2007 is $4.8 million, this is one state in America. Imagine how much is the combined total for all the lotteries played around the globe. People bet their hard earned money just to get a chance for a better life, and then through bad management, memory or luck, they win but never realize it.
“An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
Isn’t it ironic , don’t you think?”
-Alanis Morissette-
