2 massive lottery prizes are unclaimed in Ontario and expire soon

There are now two major lottery prizes that could expire soon in Ontario if the winners don’t come forward.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation said Friday that there are just a couple of weeks left to claim a $100,000 Encore prize from the Friday, Aug. 8, 2025 Lotto Max draw.

The winning selection was 1 – 6 – 0 – 3 – 7 – 2 – 2 and the ticket that won that prize was sold somewhere in Ottawa.

“Players must match the last six of the seven Encore numbers in exact order to win the $100,000 prize. Players have one year from the draw date to claim their prize,” the OLG said.

It comes after the OLG issued an appeal on Thursday for the winner or winners of a separate $100,000 Encore prize to come forward.

A ticket sold in Stratford won that windfall from the Aug. 6, 2025 Lotto 6/49 draw.

In that case, the OLG said the winning numbers were 2 – 7 – 9 – 9 – 4 – 9 – 4.

If someone thinks they have the winning ticket for either of the prizes, or maybe lost it, they were encouraged to call OLG customer care at 1-800-387-0098. Specific details will be needed, including when and where the ticket was purchased.

“OLG makes sure the right prizes are paid to the right people every time,” the lottery corporation said.

“Our prize claim verification ensures that prize ownership and eligibility is confirmed before a prize is paid.”

Meanwhile, earlier this month, a $100,000 Encore prize expired after no one came forward.

A ticket sold somewhere in Chatham won $100,000 after matching the last six of seven Encore numbers in the July 8, 2025 Lotto Max draw.

However, the winner(s) never claimed the money.

When lottery winnings go unclaimed, what happens with the money depends on the game, OLG spokesperson Tony Bitonti previously said.

For national games like Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49, it goes back into the prize pool for future draws.

“For our regional games such as Lottario, Ontario 49, and Encore, any unclaimed prizes are returned to the province for the benefit of the people of Ontario,” Bitonti said.

Bitonti said that OLG pays out 99 per cent of prize money from tickets.

“It’s rare for major prizes ($10,000 or more) to be unclaimed, but it does happen,” he said.

“However most unclaimed prizes are for smaller amounts – free tickets, $2, $5, $10 – because customers forget to check or forget to cash in these winning tickets. Our advice is to please check your tickets right away after the draw. The easiest way is to check them on the OLG app or at one of our 10,000 retail locations across Ontario.”