Winning the lottery is a dream come true—unless you can’t actually claim the prize. Two recent cases in Europe prove that even when luck is on your side, unforeseen complications can turn a jackpot into a nightmare.
The Missing Ticket Mystery in Germany
In Germany, a lucky winner from Hessen secured a life-changing €87,949,627.47 by correctly guessing the numbers 3, 12, 22, 28, 47, and the two spare numbers 1 and 12 during the February 11 EuroJackpot draw. But there’s just one problem—the original ticket is missing.
The winner, who is not a regular lottery player and does not have a EuroJackpot customer card, only came forward after weeks of searching by the lottery administration. Instead of presenting the actual ticket, they submitted a copy. Lotto Hessen officials confirmed that while the ticket copy is under review, no payment can be made until the original ticket is provided.
Martin Blach, a spokesperson for Lotto Hessen, offered the mysterious winner a piece of advice: “Absolute silence.” According to Blach, managing a jackpot win of this size is not something one can easily prepare for, making discretion crucial. If the missing ticket turns up, the winner will claim Hessen’s largest jackpot since May 2021, when a €90 million prize was awarded. But until then, millions hang in uncertainty.
A Stolen Card, a Winning Ticket, and a Legal Dilemma in France
Meanwhile, in France, another unexpected lottery drama is unfolding. Jean-David E., a resident of Toulouse, has a winning scratch ticket—purchased with his stolen credit card.
Earlier this month, Jean-David’s wallet was stolen in southern Toulouse, and among his lost belongings was a credit card. Unbeknownst to him, the thieves used the card to buy cigarettes and scratch tickets. As fate would have it, one of those scratch tickets turned out to be a jackpot winner.
Rather than pursuing charges, Jean-David has taken an unconventional approach: he wants to share the prize with the thieves. “They wouldn’t have won without me, but I wouldn’t have been able to buy a ticket without them either,” he told reporters.
France’s national lottery operator, La Française des Jeux (FDJ), confirmed that the prize remains unclaimed. Jean-David’s lawyer, Pierre Debuisson, has urged the thieves to come forward and negotiate. However, legal concerns remain—if the thieves try to collect the prize, they may face criminal charges. If no one claims the winnings before the deadline, the money could be lost entirely.
Winning the Lottery Is Just the Beginning
Both cases raise an unusual question: what happens when lottery winners can’t claim their prizes? Whether it’s due to a missing ticket or an unexpected legal complication, these situations prove that sometimes, winning is only half the battle.
Would you keep quiet if you won the lottery, or would you go public? And if you lost your winning ticket, what would you do?
