Time Running Out For Lotto Ticket

Does a mystery man in California hold the missing ticket to Washington state’s unclaimed $6 million Lotto prize?

Or, on a happier note, do you?

Whoever has the single winner from the Lotto drawing last Nov. 1 has until 5 p.m. Monday to bring it to a state Lottery office.

The ticket, bearing the numbers 1-7-13-14-17-33, is good for 20 annual payments of $216,000, if presented by the deadline. After that, it will be worthless, and the money will be put into future lottery prizes. It would tie the largest expired jackpot in Lotto’s 12-year history.

Lotto spokesman Richard Paulson said that early this month he got a call from an attorney in San Diego who said his client holds the winning ticket and plans to present it before the deadline.

But the attorney himself had not seen the ticket, Paulson said, and was unclear about his client’s reasons for not bringing it forward sooner. In addition, Paulson said, the lawyer said the client lives on a boat and could not be reached by phone.