A US Mega Millions player from San Leandro, California, held a winning ticket for nearly six weeks, but had no idea because she never checked it until last week.
Milandi Almaweri bought her ticket from San Leandro Express Liquors on Friday, May 9, 2014, and successfully matched all five winning Mega Millions numbers drawn later that evening. If she'd matched the bonus number as well she'd have won the $105 million jackpot, but her five numbers were enough to win her a second tier prize of $1 million.
Speaking to California Lottery Officials on Friday, Almaweri said she found winner while checking through a month's worth of tickets.
Last Friday's Mega Millions drawing failed to produce any new millionaires. The biggest winners were the four players who matched four main numbers and the bonus ball and had their $5000 prize increased to $25,000 because they'd added the Megaplier option to their tickets.
The next Mega Millions drawing is on Tuesday, June 24. The estimated jackpot is $25 million.
