“People misinterpret whether they won or lost. People misplace tickets all the time.”

Jones said the lottery estimates about one percent of all lottery prizes go unclaimed. And, considering the Illinois games raked in about $3 billion last year, he estimates about $2 million a month find no takers.

“They look to see whether they won the big prize, and then they discard the ticket,” he said.

Indeed, right now there are some whoppers looking for a home: $750,000 in Megamillions winnings, along with a $6.5 million lotto winner from last August. There are $845,833 in combined winning tickets in the Lucky Day Lotto game. And there is even a million dollar winner from the millionaire raffle last March.