Six months have elapsed since the announcement of the largest lottery prize ever recorded in Atlantic Canada. Surprisingly, the winning ticketholder has yet to come forward to claim their earnings, leaving everyone in anticipation.
In April 15, Atlantic Lottery drew the $64 million Gold Ball jackpot winner, identifying the ticket was purchased in Gloucester County, N.B. However, despite ongoing calls for the winner to reveal themselves, Atlantic Lottery has remained silent.
Molly Cormier, the communications director at Atlantic Lottery, described the current situation as “quite a different level.” Previously, the largest unclaimed prize in the region was a $1 million ticket purchased in 2018.
“This is the largest lottery win ever in Atlantic Canada, so we definitely want to meet the winners. We still have hope that they’ll come forward,” she said. Atlantic Lottery plans to increase community engagement in the coming months, urging people to check their tickets.
“You might be pulling out a winter coat in October… maybe you haven’t worn that coat since last April. Check the pockets, maybe you have some old tickets in there that you want to get checked,” suggested Cormier.
With each passing day and millions of dollars remaining unclaimed, the winner is nearing the one-year ticket expiry date. Though Cormier hasn’t heard any rumors regarding the whereabouts of the winning ticket, she speculates it may be in the winner’s jacket pocket or among a pile of unchecked tickets.
“Someone may be aware that they have the winning ticket and are taking their time to think about it. This amount is life-changing,” Cormier added.
Located in the northeastern corner of New Brunswick, Gloucester County is home to several municipalities and one First Nations reservation. With a total population of nearly 80,000, the city of Bathurst has the largest portion of people.
“This is not something we would comment on, especially without knowing where the ticket was purchased,” responded a Bathurst spokesperson when asked for comment.
For privacy and security reasons, Atlantic Lottery does not disclose the town or store where the winning ticket was purchased until the winner comes forward.
If April 2024 arrives and the $64 million remains unclaimed, Cormier stated that the proceeds will go toward an “unclaimed prize fund,” redistributing the money back to future players through prizes and bonus draws.
The winning ticket came from the Gold Ball Draw, introduced to Lotto 64/9’s range of games in September 2022.
Cormier mentioned that participants are now eligible for two prizes with every Lotto 64/9 purchase. Each ticket is associated with two numbers: one for the jackpot and one for the “gold ball jackpot” that increases with every draw until it’s selected.
“There’s a machine with white balls and one gold ball. The white balls are worth $1 million each, but the gold ball’s value increases with each draw until it’s chosen,” explained Cormier.
During the final moments of the draw on April 15, there were two white balls and one gold ball remaining, giving the winner a one-in-three chance to claim the $64 million prize.
“We’re encouraging anyone who knows someone who may have bought a ticket in Gloucester County on April 15 to check their tickets and give us a call,” urged Cormier. Atlantic Lottery has a process in place to help locate lost tickets that potentially contain winning numbers.
According to the Atlantic Lottery website, the winning numbers for the April 15 Gold Ball draw are: 93331474-01. Those who believe they have the winning ticket should contact Atlantic Lottery’s customer care center at 1-800-561-3942.
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