Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 23, 1993 TAG: 9307230052
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Under state law, the lottery has to give some leeway to active-duty military personnel who are unable to claim their prizes before the 180-day deadline, said Kenneth Thorson, director of the Lottery Department.
That's a possibility because the ticket for the Feb. 10 drawing was purchased in the Hampton Roads area, which has several military bases, he said.
More than 110,000 military personnel work in the area. About 25,600 work in Virginia Beach, according to 1991 statistics from the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.
It's more likely that the owner has thrown the ticket away, lost it or didn't realize that it's a winner, lottery officials said. In those cases and others, there are no extensions.
"The law controls the 180-day period and then the prize is forfeited. I have no personal discretion in that," Thorson said.
Military personnel, however, have 180 days from the date of being released from an active duty assignment to claim their lottery prizes, Thorson said.
The unclaimed Lotto ticket, which was purchased at the Farm Fresh grocery store at 3809 Princess Anne Road, was among four that shared a $7.6 million Lotto jackpot. The other three winners have claimed their shares.
The winning numbers were 8, 11, 13, 16, 18 and 20.
After 180 days from the date of the drawing, state law requires that all unclaimed prizes go to the Literary Fund, which is used for low-interest loans to local school boards and for teacher retirements.
Since 1988, the lottery has turned over more than $17 million in unclaimed prizes to the fund.
by CNB