The Houston-area winner of a $35 million Lotto Texas jackpot has 178 days and counting as of today to come out of the high grass and claim the cash.
The winning ticket - 10-20-30-31-41-42 - was purchased Wednesday night at Handi Stop convenience store No. 16 at South Post Oak Road and Willowbend in Meyerland.
"We have not heard from anyone yet," said Leticia Vasquez, a Texas Lottery Commission spokeswoman. "No one has bothered to call us."
In fact, the ridiculously lucky person may not know he or she has the winning ticket in his or her hot little hands.
Vasquez speculated Thursday that the winner is waiting, considering the best way to claim the ticket.
Located inside a Shell gas station, the store did brisk business Thursday.
"I wish that was me," said Mike Benyi, 31, a Handi Stop regular, when he learned the winning ticket was purchased at the store.
The ticket holder purchased it with the cash value option, which means the claimant will receive the present net value of the jackpot, or about $17.5 million, Vasquez said.
Handi Stop owner Shoukat Dhanani will receive $350,000, 1 percent of the jackpot.
He was unavailable for comment, but a store clerk said this was the first time the store had sold a winning Lotto Texas ticket.
"At least someone won," the clerk said.
Since 1992, the state lottery has generated more than $10 billion to pay for public education, medical institutions and other government expenses.
Unclaimed prizes are sent to two medical funds benefiting the University of Texas Medical Branch and the Tertiary Care Facility Fund, which helps hospitals pay for indigent health care. Nearly $70 million in prize money went unclaimed in 2002.
Forgetful winners and Lotto Texas procrastinators put $46 million in unclaimed winnings into the coffers of Houston and Galveston hospitals last year.
The most recent unclaimed jackpot was worth $9 million; the winner failed to collect the prize by the January deadline.
But more often than not, the winner shows up before the 180-day deadline.
Here's hoping the Handi Stop winner come forward and collects the dough.
Some knew the winning ticket had been sold there, but most, such as Lena Shorts, did not.
Shorts, 64, who occasionally buys lottery tickets at the Handi Stop, doesn't believe a winning store will be lucky for game players the second time around.
Shorts knows she did not win this time, but she has big plans should that day come.
"I would build my son a church," she said. "He's a minister."
By JANETTE RODRIGUES
Houston Chronicle
| 
