For someone out there, checking a lottery ticket purchased earlier this month could be the difference between their usual life and becoming a millionaire – or at the very least, significantly wealthier.

According to the Florida Lottery, there has been no attempt to claim a lottery ticket worth $20.5 million from a purchase made earlier in August. The ticket was bought at a Murphy USA petrol station in Kissimmee, with the anonymous player collecting rewards along the way.

Winning Big in Florida Lotto, But Only 180 Days to Claim

The player managed to guess a six-number combination from 1 to 53, and succeeded, overcoming odds of one in 22,957,480, the lottery confirmed. The winning numbers – 10, 11, 14, 17, 39, and 49 – have potentially transformed an anonymous lottery hopeful into a millionaire – or at the very least, made them much wealthier.

However, the lottery’s statement on 12 August also revealed that there has been no response, with no one stepping forward to claim the reward. This usually suggests that the individual may be unaware that they have likely changed their life in a significant way.

Another reason could be that many players who win a prize of this magnitude prefer to consult with financial advisors and acquaint themselves with the practical implications, such as the taxes they must pay, and more.

Nevertheless, they should also act quickly, as there is a 180-day deadline for claiming the prize, which began ticking down on 7 August. Jackpots have been making headlines recently, with winners often emerging in the most unexpected of circumstances.

Winning Jackpots in the Most Spectacular Way

For instance, one man from Michigan was playing the Fantasy 5 game. He missed the jackpot by just one number, only to discover that his new ticket – purchased the very next day – had won the following draw, netting him $795,905.

Meanwhile, a player in Virginia was pleasantly surprised to find that what they initially thought was a $100 jackpot turned out to be a $100,000 windfall.

Lotteries have been praised for their significant contributions to local budgets and are considered one of the least controversial forms of gambling across the United States, with regular draws offering multi-million dollar rewards on a daily basis.