Des Plaines lottery winner could lose $250,000

A lottery player who bought his or her ticket a year ago in Des Plaines needs to claim the $250,000 Mega Millions win by month's end or lose it all, officials said today.

About $24 million in lottery winnings go unclaimed each year, Illinois Lottery officials said.

The second place Mega ticket for the July 31, 2009 drawing was sold at the 7-Eleven store, 1143 Lee St. The ticket matched all five numbers but missed the Mega Ball. The winning numbers were 17, 35, 44, 52 and 56 with a Mega Ball number of 22 and a Megaplier number of 2.

If the winning ticket holder does not come forward by Friday, July 30, the money will be deposited into the Illinois Common School Fund. Players can have tickets verified at any Illinois Lottery retailer across the state.

Since its inception in 1974, the Illinois Lottery has contributed more than $14 billion to the state Common School Fund to assist K-12 public schools.