Daijiworld Media Network – New Jersey

New Jersey, May 20: A man in the United States struck it rich after discovering a forgotten lottery ticket worth $5.9 million (approximately Rs 57.11 crore) hidden inside an old pair of pants just days before the ticket was due to expire.

According to reports, the New Jersey resident had purchased the Pick-6 lottery ticket from a gas station he regularly visited in May last year. However, he reportedly misplaced the ticket soon after buying it and completely forgot about it for nearly a year.

Last month, lottery officials announced publicly that the jackpot-winning ticket was still unclaimed and nearing its expiry date. The announcement caught the man’s attention after he learned that the winning ticket had been sold at the same petrol station he frequently visited.

Curious, he visited the gas station and spoke to the employees there. Staff members reportedly informed him that only a few regular customers usually played the Pick-6 game and advised him to carefully search through his belongings.

The man then began checking drawers, shelves and storage spaces in his house before finally searching old clothes kept in his closet. To his surprise, he found the crumpled lottery ticket tucked inside the pocket of an old pair of pants.

After verifying the numbers, he realised he was holding the jackpot-winning ticket worth $5.9 million. He immediately rushed to lottery headquarters and successfully claimed the prize just eight days before the deadline expired.

Lottery officials later urged people to regularly check old lottery tickets, noting that many prizes often remain unclaimed because winners forget where they stored them.