Mystery person becomes overnight millionaire after finding National Lottery ticket

A mystery person from the UK has become an overnight millionaire after claiming a National Lottery ticket from July 19. The person is understood to be from Milton Keynes but has not been officially identified, the Milton Keynes Citizen reports.

The prize - which totals £1 million - remained unclaimed for five weeks but a person has since come forward, a spokesperson for Camelot UK Lotteries Limited confirmed. Lucky winners have 180 days from the day of the draw to claim their prize or the ticket becomes void.

The ticket - which had five corresponding numbers and the bonus ball number - will now go through a process of validation which includes checks to ensure the game’s rules, terms and conditions are adhered to and the integrity of The National Lottery is protected.

“Once the ticket has been validated and paid, the ticket-holder will then decide whether or not to go public and share their news. There will be no information on whether it is an individual or syndicate winner, or where the ticket was purchased, unless the ticket-holder decides to go public,” the spokesperson said.

Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor at The National Lottery, said: “What amazing news for this lucky ticket-holder who has claimed their amazing prize. We will now focus on supporting the ticket-holder through the process and help them to begin their life-changing journey.”

The reason behind the five-week delay has not been specified. However, it is likely the claimant forgot to check the ticket or temporarily lost it.