Expired Lotto ticket gives state $7M

AUSTIN (AP) - The State of Texas is $7 million richer after the buyer of a winning Lotto Texas ticket didn't claim the prize by the deadline.

Texas Lottery Commission officials said Monday afternoon was the deadline to claim the cash payout of $7,131,735.60, but the buyer didn't show up.

The ticket was bought at the Big Country Mart in Burleson in early May.

Lottery commission spokesman Bobby Heith said the ticket expired 180 days from the day of the drawing on May 6. He said when a prize goes unclaimed, the money goes back to the state.

Heith said not cashing a Lotto ticket worth millions has happened about five times since 1994.

The first $10 million returned each year is allocated to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the rest is placed in the state's general fund.