Someone in the United States has just gone from being one of the luckiest people alive to one of the unluckiest.
That's because earlier this week, their time to claim a whopping US$14.6 million (NZ$22 million) lottery prize officially ran out.
The mystery almost-millionaire bought their winning ticket in June, in Arizona. However, according to the lottery's rules, winners have 180 days to claim their prize.
"It's hard to see that not get claimed," Jacqueline Keidel Martinez, a spokesperson for Arizona Lottery told NBC News.
The unclaimed jackpot is the biggest ever in the state, overtaking the previous record of US$4 million ($6 million) in 1999.
The biggest-ever unclaimed prize in the US is US$77 million (NZ$117 million) won with a ticket bought in Georgia in 2011.
"We are always a little sad when we see one of these prizes expire unclaimed," Gregg Edgar, executive director of Arizona Lottery said.
The state can now spend the unclaimed money however it wishes. A decent chunk of it will go to fund state programmes and needy causes.
According to CNN, 30 percent of the money will go towards a programme called Court Appointed Special Advocates, which helps abused and neglected children in court.
A further US$250,000 (NZ$382,000) will be given to a programme that helps Native American high school students take university courses.
The rest of the money will go to fund prizes in other lottery games and draws.
