National Lottery winner has days left to claim £177K prize — is it you?

A EuroMillions ticket holder in Watford has just days remaining to collect a prize worth £177,547.30 before the money is lost forever.

The winning ticket from the draw held on January 16, 2026, has gone unclaimed for more than five months, and the deadline to come forward expires at midnight on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

National Lottery operator Allwyn is making a final plea to anyone who purchased a ticket in the Watford area around that time to thoroughly search for their slip.

The fortunate player successfully matched all five main numbers along with one of the two Lucky Star numbers, securing the substantial prize that remains waiting to be collected.

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With the clock now ticking down to the final week, lottery officials are urging residents to act immediately before this life-changing sum slips away permanently.

The draw that produced this unclaimed fortune took place on January 16 this year, with the winning combination consisting of 5, 17, 24, 29 and 50 as the main numbers, while the Lucky Star numbers drawn were 5 and 10.

The mystery ticket holder managed to match all five of the primary numbers correctly, along with a single Lucky Star, which secured them the prize just below £178,000.

Despite extensive efforts by lottery officials over the past five months to locate the winner, the ticket remains uncollected somewhere in the Watford area.

Players who participated in that particular EuroMillions draw are being encouraged to verify their tickets against these numbers without delay.

The ticket could be sitting forgotten in a drawer, pocket or bag, with its owner completely unaware they are holding a winning slip worth a substantial six-figure sum.

Andy Carter, Senior Winners' Advisor at Allwyn, is appealing directly to anyone who might have played EuroMillions back in January to conduct one final search.

He said: "Time is now running out for this mystery winner. n just one week, the deadline to claim this £177,547.30 EuroMillions prize will expire, so we're asking everyone who may have bought a ticket in the area to make one last thorough check."

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He suggested looking in commonly overlooked spots where tickets often end up forgotten.

"Check that kitchen drawer, your wallet, the glovebox of the car, the pockets of old coats and bags anywhere a ticket could have been tucked away and forgotten," Mr Carter said.

The lottery official also urged people to help spread awareness among their social circles.

He added: "Talk to friends, family, neighbours and colleagues who may have played EuroMillions back in January...Our priority is making sure this prize reaches its rightful owner before the deadline passes and this incredible opportunity is lost forever."

Should the deadline pass without a valid claim being made, the prize money, along with all interest it has accumulated, will be redirected to support National Lottery-funded projects throughout the country.

Lottery players are given a 180-day window from the date of any draw to come forward with a winning ticket and claim their prize.

Anyone who believes they may hold the winning ticket, or who has questions about making a claim, can reach the National Lottery Line on 0333 234 5050 or send an email to help@national-lottery.co.uk.

Claims can be initiated via email, but this must be received before midnight on the final day of the claim period, and the winner must subsequently complete the process in person.

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