What should have been the happiest day of her life turned into a long wait. Kath Main, a 46-year-old British woman from Abercynon, South Wales, claims to have won a £12 million jackpot, or nearly €14 million. The problem is that the winning ticket has disappeared after being mistakenly thrown in the bin. The mother of two, who has played the same combination of numbers for about twenty years, discovered that the winning numbers for the June 6th draw matched hers. When she called her mother, who was responsible for buying the tickets, she received a stunning revelation: the ticket no longer existed.
The ticket was declared a loser… before being thrown away
A few days earlier, Kath's mother had gone to a Londis convenience store to have the ticket checked. According to her, the validation terminal didn't beep, and the clerk told her the ticket wasn't a winner. Thinking it was worthless, she let the clerk throw it directly in the bin. By the time Kath realized the combination matched the unclaimed jackpot, the rubbish had already been collected.
An investigation has been officially opened.
The National Lottery operator, Allwyn, has launched an investigation to determine whether Kath Main is indeed the owner of the winning ticket. The British woman provided the organizer with several pieces of evidence, including proof of purchase and footage from a nearby security camera showing her mother when she came to have the ticket checked. The store in question did not have functioning CCTV due to renovations. Pending the outcome of the investigation, lottery services at the store have been suspended and the validation terminal has been taken out of service.
An exceptional procedure
The National Lottery rules allow for a claim to be filed when a winning ticket has been lost, destroyed, or stolen. This is an exceptional procedure that requires a thorough review of all available information. Allwyn has up to 30 days to decide on this claim. If the claim is accepted, the jackpot will only be paid out after the statutory period for lost tickets has expired, which is several months after the decision.
"I am the unluckiest lottery winner in the world."
Since discovering this incredible error, Kath Main says she has been living in uncertainty. "I am the unluckiest lottery winner in the world."She said, describing the wait as particularly difficult until the investigation reaches its verdict. If the investigation confirms her version of events, this British woman could claim one of the largest jackpots won this year in the UK, despite the disappearance of the valuable ticket.
