$55M lottery ticket bought in Yellowknife still not claimed

The winning ticket for a $55 million Lotto Max jackpot draw was purchased in Yellowknifeand as of Monday morning, the winner has yet to claim their prize, says the director of communications for the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.

"There could be someone with a $55 million winning lottery ticket and as far as they know, it's still just a piece of paper in their wallet or in their purse or in a glove compartment somewhere," said Kevin van Egdom.

"The other thing we've seen is that some people when they see they've got a $55 million winning lottery ticket, they want to take some time to think, to let that settle in to think about what that means, how it's going to change their life."

Biggest prize ever in N.W.T.

The prize is the largest lottery win ever in the Northwest Territories five times more than the previous record of $11 million in 2007, says van Egdom.

That prize was claimed by Barkley Heron and Ann Lepine of Fort Smith N.W.T.

Lepine miraculously struck the lotto for a second time in 2011 to the tune of $7.7 million.

The winner of the $55 million jackpot has one year to claim their prize.

Van Edgom says despite the pandemic, the lottery corporationis open, ready and willing to hear from them.

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He encourages people to check their ticket and call the number on the back of it.

"We're very excited to find out," he said.