A mother of two claims she held a winning lottery ticket worth £12 million, only to discover its value hours after a shopkeeper discarded it. Kath Main, 46, from Pontypridd, South Wales, said she recognized the winning numbers from the June 6 draw, which had reportedly gone unclaimed, as the same numbers she has played for two decades.
Main stated that her mother, Fiona, who purchases the tickets weekly, presented the ticket at a Londis store in Abercynon. According to Main, the shopkeeper informed her mother that the ticket had not registered any prize when scanned by the machine, and Fiona agreed to let the ticket be thrown away. Main realized the potential win later that day, after the shop's bin had already been emptied. The store reportedly does not have CCTV surveillance due to ongoing renovations.
Maze has provided proof of purchase and footage from a nearby hair salon showing her mother buying the ticket. She expressed distress over the uncertainty, telling The Sun, "I just feel sick all the time, it's the not knowing and waiting. I'm trying not to think about what I'd do with the money in case I don't get it."
National Lottery operator Allwyn has confirmed it is investigating the situation, examining whether human error or a faulty machine may have been responsible for the alleged misprint. Allwyn stated that it is the only major lottery that permits claims for tickets that have been lost, stolen, or destroyed. Main has been informed that the investigation could take up to 30 days to reach a conclusion. Londis owner Karan Kumar commented on the situation, saying, "It would be amazing if she won."