Hundreds try to claim record National Lottery jackpot

National Lottery operator Camelot says it has been contacted by hundreds of people claiming they've won but without a legible ticket.

Hundreds of people have contacted Camelot to claim they are the winner of the £33 million jackpot from the January 9 draw, the National Lottery operator says.

Punters are saying that their tickets have been lost, damaged or stolen following newspaper claims that a woman washed her winning ticket in a pair of jeans. Her ticket had the winning numbers, but the date and barcode were illegible, according to a local shopkeeper.

Camelot is treating claims on a case-by-case basis but will not comment on unverified claims until they are investigated.

Although the location of where the winning ticket was bought has been announced as somewhere in Worcester, the details of the shop that sold it have not, nor has the retailer been informed that they sold the ticket, Camelot says.

Claiming on a lost, stolen or damaged ticket

Camelot has the discretion to pay prizes in respect of stolen, lost or damaged tickets but only if the holder submits a written claim within 30 days of the draw. If sufficient evidence is provided, Camelot is able to pay the prize up to 180 days after the draw.

In the event that the winning ticket isn’t found, the money will go to help National Lottery-funded projects around the UK.

The other half of the record-breaking £66 million jackpot was claimed by David and Carol Martin from Hawick in the Scottish borders.

The winning numbers were 26, 27, 46, 47, 52 and 58.

If you think you have the winning ticket you can call the National Lottery Line on 0844 338 7551 or email help@national-lottery.co.uk. 

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