It is the National Lottery’s policy to wait around a fortnight to disclose more information about unclaimed prizes, as winners have a right to remain anonymous and may not wish for such details to be released.
However, officials also want to make sure that prizes are claimed, so they announce the area where tickets are sold to remind everyone to check their numbers. Andy Carter, the National Lottery’s Senior Winners’ Advisor, said: “We're desperate to find this mystery ticket holder and unite them with this massive prize which could really make a huge difference to somebody's life.
“We're urging everyone who might have bought a EuroMillions ticket in this area to check their old tickets or look for any missing tickets at home."
The ticket holder from Ayrshire was the only player on 17th March to match all the numbers - 5, 7, 8, 16 and 20, plus Lucky Stars 2 and 12, becoming the sixth jackpot winner of the year and the first from the UK.
Publicity vs Anonymity
They now have until 13th September, 180 days from when the draw took place, to claim their prize. Anyone who thinks they might be the winner but cannot find their ticket will need to lodge an appeal within 30 days of the draw date. Beyond that point, they will need to come forward with the winning entry.
When they do eventually stake their claim, they can decide whether they wish to keep their identity private or go public and share their story. The majority of winners stay anonymous, including the £40 million winner from 3rd December who did not come forward to collect their money for more than three months.
There are restrictions in force throughout the UK, and much of the world, due to the coronavirus pandemic, so the latest winner should contact the National Lottery directly to start the claim process.
There are currently no plans to suspend EuroMillions draws, so you can keep playing for the chance to win multimillion-pound jackpots twice a week. The safest option is to take part online from home, which also ensures you will never miss out on a prize as you will be automatically alerted if you win.