South Africa’s lottery operator Sizekhaya has urged players to check their tickets and banking notifications. This warning comes after more than R120 million (US$7.5 million) in Lotto and PowerBall prizes remained unclaimed.
The operator said many winning tickets were purchased through banking apps. Therefore, some winners may already have received notifications from their banks. However, players have only a limited period to claim their prizes under South African lottery regulations.
Winners Have 365 Days to Claim Prizes
Lottery prizes must generally be claimed within 365 days. Any winnings that remain unclaimed after the deadline are transferred to the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund.
Fundi Sithebe, COO of Sizekhaya, explained that smaller prizes from tickets purchased through banking applications can be automatically credited to customer accounts. On the other hand, larger prizes may prompt banks to contact winners directly through SMS, WhatsApp messages or phone calls.
Sithebe warned that players may mistakenly dismiss these communications as scams, particularly as unsolicited financial messages become increasingly common.
R93.5M PowerBall Jackpot Still Unclaimed
One of the largest outstanding prizes is a R93.5 million PowerBall jackpot from a ticket purchased in Molapo, Soweto. The winner has yet to come forward.
Another major unclaimed prize is worth R23 million and was purchased through an Absa banking app on June 13.
The operator has encouraged players to review their tickets and account notifications carefully. This is especially important if they regularly purchase lottery entries through banking applications.
Sizekhaya Urges Winners to Come Forward
The growing value of unclaimed prizes highlights the importance of checking lottery results and monitoring official communications after purchasing tickets.
Sizekhaya is urging players to verify their numbers and respond to legitimate notifications. Players should not assume every unexpected message is fraudulent.
With more than R120 million still outstanding, the operator’s message is straightforward: players should check their tickets and review their banking notifications. Furthermore, they should claim any winnings before the 365-day deadline expires.
