The chat, which took place during the Kfm Mornings with the Darren, Sherlin and Sibs show, was sparked by an occurrence related to the national lottery earlier this year.
A married couple used the quick pick function on their banking app to select numbers for the lottery month in and month out. They did this for several years, but never won. One day, the digits they chose matched the winning numbers. Unfortunately, they hadn’t funded their bank account sufficiently, so the lottery entry hadn’t been paid – and hence their win was rendered null and void.
Those who enter the Powerball or Lotto are constantly and consistently advised via mainstream media and other outlets to check their numbers. They are also frequently reminded to ensure their entry charge is covered, especially if they are buying tickets through automated digital platforms. Sadly, the aforementioned couple got it wrong and what could have been their winnings – was returned to the proverbial pot. “That’s a real pity,” said Simpson.
“It’s those people who win R30 here, R50 there, it all adds up and that’s probably why so much money goes unclaimed. This kind of thing is easily avoidable. “I don’t know about you guys, but if I’m entering the lottery, I will be checking those numbers regularly to see if it’s my lucky day.”
Mafu concurred: “I don’t often enter, but when or if I do, I make sure to check those digits on the regular. You wouldn’t want to win and then miss out because of not checking.” Barends added: “It’d be nice to win a lot of money, so it’s wise and prudent to ensure you are checking your numbers. If you play the same numbers, perhaps they’re memorised.
If you play different numbers, then it’s worth noting them down somehow.” Research conducted by the National Lotteries Commission a couple of years ago fathomed some reasons why winnings go unclaimed. People often only focus on the main prize – and if they don’t win that, they don’t really bother checking if they won elsewhere. Of course, you don’t have to guess all the numbers correctly to win.
There are other tiers of prizes for getting few numbers right. On the odd occasion, people choose to keep a rather low profile, assess their situation and circumstance – and only claim their prize very belatedly. Those claims are eventually recorded, but during the week’s hype of the winning draw, are unaccounted. Lost tickets also play a part in the winnings going unclaimed.
A large percentage of South Africans still prefer to queue for their tickets rather than use an online service. One of the biggest reasons, though, is attributed to entrants forgetting to check their numbers.
And it’s a solid reminder to everyone to keep those digits at hand when the Powerball or Lotto draw happens.
