Viral Story | From Laundry Pile To Jackpot: US Man Discovers ₹57 Crore Lottery Ticket In Old Pants Just Before Expiry

A man in New Jersey became a millionaire after discovering a forgotten Pick 6 lottery ticket worth $5.9 million hidden in an old pair of pants. Prompted by a news report about the soon-to-expire unclaimed ticket, he found it and claimed his prize just eight days before the deadline.

A man in the US became a millionaire after discovering a forgotten lottery worth $5.9 million (approximately Rs 57.11 crore) hidden inside an old pair of pants, only days before it was due to expire. According to reports, the man from New Jersey bought the Pick 6 lottery from his regular petrol station in May of last year, but he misplaced it and didn't know about it for over a year.

Last month, lottery officials disclosed that the jackpot-winning ticket was still unclaimed and would shortly expire. The announcement caught the man's attention because the winning ticket had been sold at a petrol station he regularly visited.

"He checked every corner before finally going through his closet and checking every pants pocket possible," the lottery said in a news release. "After checking a few pairs of pants, he finally found a crumpled Pick-6 ticket from last May."

He visited the station out of curiosity and talked to the staff. According to the news source, the staff encouraged him to properly inspect his possessions and informed him that just a few frequent clients played the Pick-6 game.

The man then started going around his house, looking through shelves, drawers, and storage areas before looking at his closet's old clothing. At that moment, he found the crumpled lottery ticket concealed in an old pair of trousers.

After verifying the numbers, he realised he was holding the winning ticket worth $5.9 million (approximately Rs 57.11 crore). He immediately rushed to lottery headquarters and claimed the prize just eight days before the deadline.

Lottery officials later urged people to regularly check old tickets, saying many prizes often go unclaimed because winners forget where they kept them.