Washington Lottery alert: Millions in unclaimed prizes expiring soon — including $8.2M ticket

The Washington Lottery said more than $8 million in unclaimed prizes are set to expire in the coming months.

In July alone, three major prizes will expire, including an $8.2 million Lotto prize tied to a ticket purchased in Bellingham.

Also expiring in July is a $100,000 HIT 5 prize from a ticket purchased in Seattle, and a $115,000 HIT 5 prize from a ticket purchased in Tulalip. In August, a $10,000 prize purchased in Kenmore is expiring.

12 Washington Lottery prizes expiring soon

Altogether, there are 12 lottery prizes worth $10,000 or more that will soon expire, according to the Washington Lottery.

Players have 180 days from the drawing date to claim winnings. Any unclaimed money is placed into a reserve account.

“Each June, the surplus in the reserve account is transferred to the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account (WOPA), which supports education in Washington State,” a Washington Lottery news release stated. “WOPA helps college students across the state achieve their dreams and supports early childhood education programs.”

Lottery officials said players can claim prizes at regional offices in Everett, Federal Way, Olympia, Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“Winners with prizes of $100,000 or more are instructed to call the nearest Lottery office to schedule an appointment to make a safe and secure in-person claim,” the release stated.

Since 1982, the Washington Lottery said it has generated more than $5.7 billion for state programs.

Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.