£12 million thrown in the bin
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22 Aug 2026 •
Reading time: 3 minutes
A British woman could be set to win £12 million despite the disappearance of her lottery ticket, which was thrown in the bin after a problem arose whilst checking it. Following an investigation, the lottery operator believes she is likely the genuine winner. However, payment remains on hold until the official claim period has expired.
Twelve million pounds, but no ticket to present
Kath Main finds herself in a situation that is as extraordinary as it is frustrating: her numbers match the winning combination in a UK National Lottery draw, but the ticket that could win her 12 million pounds is no longer in her possession.
The ticket had been bought on 6 June. Subsequently, Kath Main’s mother took it to a retail outlet to check whether it was a winner. The retailer’s terminal apparently failed to register the ticket correctly. It was then thrown away.
It was only later that Kath Main discovered that the numbers she had played matched those of the winning combination for a £12 million jackpot.
An investigation lends weight to her claim
The disappearance of the precious piece of paper did not immediately dash the British woman’s hopes. The lottery operator, Allwyn, examined her claim. This investigation established that Kath Main had in all likelihood purchased the winning ticket. This conclusion therefore paves the way for a possible payout of the jackpot, despite the absence of the original ticket.
However, the acceptance of her claim does not yet guarantee payment. An important precautionary measure is currently preventing the £12 million from being released.
Allwyn is waiting for the official 180-day claim period to expire before proceeding with any payment. The reason is simple: as the original ticket has gone missing, the operator must allow for the possibility that someone else might come forward with it before definitively awarding the prize. If no one presents the winning ticket and claims the jackpot during this period, Kath Main could then receive the millions corresponding to the combination she claims to have played.
Another winning ticket had ended up in the rubbish
The British case is not entirely unprecedented. A few days earlier, a similar situation had come to light in Italy, this time involving a prize of 1 million euros.
A woman had left her ticket in a shop following a misunderstanding. The ticket had then been thrown away with the rest of the rubbish. She later discovered that the numbers she usually played were the winning combination.
In her case, the search took a dramatic turn. Refuse collectors managed to determine which lorry the ticket had ended up in. They then searched through the rubbish for over a day. After a lengthy search through the rubbish, the ticket was found in good enough condition to allow its owner to claim her €1 million prize.