LANSING, January 16, 2009 – A Mega Millions ticket worth $250,000 is set to expire on January 18, 2009!

The winning ticket was purchased at the Joslyn Market in Pontiac.  The winning numbers, drawn on January 18, 2008, were 12-22-33-43-44 Gold Mega Ball 15. The winner must match the first five numbers, which are the five white balls, to win the prize.

Because Lottery headquarters is closed on the actual expiration date, which is a Sunday, and all state offices are closed for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, the prize must be claimed by 4 pm in Lansing on Tuesday, January 20. The winner is urged to contact the Lottery’s Public Relations Division at (517)373-1237 to set up an appointment to claim the prize.

All Mega Millions prizes are valid for one year of the draw date. If the prize goes unclaimed, the money will be deposited into the state School Aid Fund.

Over 95 cents of every dollar spent on Lottery tickets is returned to the state in the form of contributions to the state School Aid Fund, prizes to players and commissions to retailers. In fiscal year 2008, the contribution to schools was $740.7 million. Since its inception in 1972, the Lottery has contributed more than $15 billion to education in Michigan.

For additional information on Mega Millions and unclaimed prizes, please visit the Lottery’s Web site at https://www.michiganlottery.com.

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