- Store that sold unclaimed $55 million lotto ticket is being overrun with ‘winners’
- The owner said people have been coming in with tears and various ‘tall stories’
- He hopes the rightful winner comes forward soon to ‘put him out of his misery’
- According to the Tattslotto rules, the winner has six months to claim their prize
The newsagent who sold an unclaimed $55 million lottery ticket has been inundated with customers trying to get their hands on the spoils.
Sam Misiano, the owner of Scole Lotto & News in Melbourne’s Brunswick, said since the announcement more than two weeks ago punters have flooded his store armed with tears and sob stories.
‘I’ve heard everything. It’s out of this world. I’ve had so many numbers now with stories. One lady believed she threw the ticket away,’ he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Brunswick Scole Lotto & News store owner Sam Misiano (pictured) says his shop is full of people trying to convince him they are the winner of the unclaimed $55 million lottery ticket
Customers have asked to watch the CCTV footage from his store – but his shop has also been three times busier since he put up signs encouraging the winner to come forward.
‘There has to be a really good percentage without reasonable doubt,’ he said. ‘It’s a lot of money, there’s been a lot of stories… We are the lucky shop now.’
But despite the spike in business, Mr Misiano said that he ‘can’t wait until it ends’.
He’s planning to take down the winning $55 million Lotto signs from the store, but hopes that the rightful winner will make themselves known to him before then and ‘put him out of his misery’.
Brunswick Scole Lotto & News store (pictured) sold the unclaimed ticket about two weeks ago
According to Tattslotto rules, the winner has six months to claim their prize.
After that, the money will be held in perpetuity by the Victorian State Revenue Office unless the winning ticket holder comes forward.
Tatts is urging anyone who purchased their unregistered Powerball entry from Scole Lotto & News, Shop 6, to check their ticket as soon as possible and to get in touch to start the prize claim process.
Tatts is urging anyone who purchased an unregistered Powerball entry to check their ticket (stock)