A lottery winner in west Kent has just one more day to claim a prize of £10,000 a month for 30 years before it goes to good causes. The winning ticket in the Set For Life National Lottery draw was bought in the Sevenoaks area on October 24, 2024, and the prize must be claimed by Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Despite a months-long search since the October draw, the prize remains unclaimed.
Lottery organisers have spent the last few weeks raising awareness on the streets of Sevenoaks in a bid to find the missing winner. A spokesperson for National Lottery operator Allwyn said, "If the prize remains unclaimed, the money, plus all the interest it has generated, will go to help projects across the UK." This has added urgency to the search for the winner, as the deadline approaches.
Residents in Sevenoaks have been greeted with a giant replica of the National Lottery Set For Life winning ticket and oversized newspapers in an attempt to locate the winner. In March, lottery organisers created bespoke station signs, digital platform messages, and unique PA announcements voiced by a previous winner to alert locals.
The winning Set For Life ticket matched all five main numbers—2, 11, 29, 37, 45—plus the Life Ball 6, landing the jackpot. This life-changing prize, if claimed, would see the lucky winner banking £10,000 every month for the next 30 years, a total of 360 payments. Andy Carter, Senior Winners Advisor at Allwyn, emphasized the importance of searching thoroughly, stating, "If you bought a Set For Life ticket in the Sevenoaks District for the draw on October 24, it’s time to look everywhere - in the pockets of clothes you might have been wearing at the time, bags, in the car, wallets and purses, and in that sideboard or drawer where we all tend to put bits and pieces - and check your tickets."
Last week, the National Lottery took to the streets of Sevenoaks to alert locals and urge everyone to search for the missing winner. Giant replicas of the winning Set For Life ticket and oversized newspapers appeared at landmarks across Sevenoaks, urging locals to check if they were the missing winner.
Kathy Garrett, a trusted Winners’ Advisor and Kent local, also known as the ‘Billionaire Lady’, has helped winners claim over £1 billion. She advised those who might have bought the ticket to think back to autumn 2024. "The winning draw took place a week before Halloween, so think about where you were when you were about to carve your pumpkin or preparing for trick or treating," she said. Garrett encouraged people to rummage through warm coats and double-check that this winning ticket hasn’t inadvertently been stowed away with hats, scarves, and gloves. "We once had a very fortunate builder who came forward not long before his ticket was due to expire. He won over £50 million and had left the winning ticket in the sun visor of his work van. I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to search the places you’d least expect," she added.
The National Lottery has made significant efforts to find the winner, including visiting Sevenoaks twice this year. In March, they teamed up with Southeastern at Sevenoaks Station to help track down the winner by using custom signage, digital platform displays, and announcements voiced by a past winner. The urgency of the situation is palpable as the deadline looms closer.
Andy Carter reiterated the importance of checking old tickets, urging everyone who bought a ticket in the area to look again. "Do you live or work in the area, do you have family and friends there who you were visiting, or were you just passing through?" he asked, emphasizing that every little detail could lead to the discovery of the missing ticket.
If nobody claims the prize by the deadline, the money will be allocated to National Lottery-funded projects across the UK. This means that not only would the winner miss out on a life-changing sum, but the community would also lose potential funding for local projects.
The excitement and anxiety surrounding the unclaimed prize have brought the community together, with many residents discussing the possibility of a hidden millionaire among them. As the deadline approaches, the hope remains that the rightful owner of the winning ticket will come forward to claim their prize.
As the clock ticks down, the National Lottery continues to rally support from the community. Local businesses have joined in the effort, displaying posters and spreading the word about the missing ticket. The campaign has fostered a sense of camaraderie among residents, all eager to help uncover the mystery winner.
With the deadline set for tomorrow, the anticipation is palpable. Will the missing winner step forward and claim their life-changing prize, or will the money be lost to good causes? The community watches with bated breath as the final hours of the search unfold.
In the end, the search for the missing winner of the Set For Life lottery ticket in Sevenoaks serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of luck and fortune. It highlights not only the excitement of winning but also the importance of being vigilant and aware of the possibilities that life may present. As the clock winds down, the hope remains that this mystery will soon be resolved, and the life-changing prize will find its rightful owner.
