The State - News from March 6, 1986

More than 9,000 winners of $100 or more in the California Lottery have failed to claim their prizes, which amount to more than $3.8 million, lottery officials said. Altogether, one of every 33 prizes worth $100 or more has not been claimed, the officials said, adding that 11 of the missing winners probably would have been eligible for the weekly grand-prize drawing. The figures, released by lottery accountants, are based on the first three games since the lottery began Oct. 3. The current Gold Rush game is the fourth. Lottery spokesman Bob Taylor speculated that the missing winners did not understand the game or had lost their tickets and noted that the number of unclaimed prizes is declining. The report excludes $2 and $5 prizes.