Hoosier Lotto’s record jackpot remains unclaimed

The Associated Press

November 09, 2007 07:30 pm

— INDIANAPOLIS — The Hoosier Lottery was still waiting Friday to hear from the winner of its record $54.5 million jackpot.
Lottery spokesman Andrew Reed said the buyer of the single winning Hoosier Lotto ticket sold in East Chicago had yet to come forward. He said the winner merely needs to sign the back of the ticket and claim the prize at Hoosier Lottery headquarters in Indianapolis within 180 days.
Lottery officials can’t offer any additional legal or financial advice.
“But we hope they’re seeking that type of information,” Reed said.
The winning ticket from Wednesday night’s drawing was sold at a Mobil gas station in East Chicago. The jackpot-winning numbers were 8, 15, 16, 17, 35, 39.
It is the first Hoosier Lotto jackpot hit since Oct. 21, 2006.
The jackpot has returned to its starting point of $1 million, where it remains for the first two draws after a winner and then is increased by $500,000 per draw.
As the jackpot kept growing over the past year, ticket sales increased significantly.
One year ago, just weeks into the streak, November sales of Hoosier Lotto tickets totaled about $4.2 million, Reed said. That number climbed steadily, reaching nearly $13 million in sales during September, the most recent figures available.
Tammy Wolford, the owner of Lightning Food Mart in New Albany, said some of her customers were pleased that somebody finally won.
“It’s gone on for so long some of them were wondering,” she said. “Some people worry that maybe (lottery officials) know the numbers that have been picked or they don’t trust the computer that picks.”