If you have a lotto ticket from 2022 that you still haven't checked, you could be the winner of a massive prize that has yet to be claimed.

In what it calls "a rare occurrence in Canadian lottery history," the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) says that a $70 million Lotto Max ticket from last year's June 28 draw is still unclaimed.

But time is quickly running out for this unknown millionaire.

The winning ticket will expire next Wednesday, June 28, unless the rightful owner comes forward before then, stated OLG in a news release.

OLG flooded with calls as deadline looms

Since the announcement of this unclaimed lotto jackpot, OLG has been inundated with calls.

"In general, we've had about 760 inquiries," OLG spokesperson Tony Bitonti told Daily Hive earlier this month. He said people are calling to check if they're the owners of the winning ticket.

"Other ones do claim to say, 'Yes, I think it's my ticket,'" said Bitonti.

He said that OLG has the information about the ticket and the time it was purchased. However, only the winner would know certain critical information, such as where exactly the ticket was purchased and what purchases they added to their ticket.

In this case, there's no video to verify the winner's identity.

Check everywhere. A $70 Million LOTTO MAX ticket was sold in Scarborough, Ontario, and will expire on June 28, 2023.

For more information: https://t.co/HsWzmsEp0H#DreamToTheMax pic.twitter.com/5i5htHhj3t

— OLG (@OLG_CA) June 23, 2023

"We're pushing for this a lot more because of the value," said Bitonti. "Somebody bought that ticket, and they won. And they don't know, or they lost the ticket. We'll do the due diligence."

The only information known to the public is that the lotto ticket was purchased in Scarborough. The winning numbers are 08, 19, 22, 41, 42, 46, 47, and 10.

Bitonti said it's typical for lottery players who win a hefty jackpot to check their ticket a few times, consult their lawyer, and take a few months before coming forward to claim their prize.

However, in this case, the winning ticket has never been scanned with the OLG app or checked at the self-checker at stores and kiosks.

What likely happened to the unclaimed lotto ticket

When asked what he thinks happened to the winning ticket, Bitonti said that it’s likely that the person lost the slip.

If you buy a lottery ticket, Bitonti suggests checking it and signing it right away.

"Keep it on your fridge, in your junk drawer, but check it right away," he said. "Don’t forget about them." Or better yet, buy the ticket online so you'll be notified via email if you win.

The huge jackpot goes back into the Lotto Max prize pool if the winner fails to come forward.

So, check your pockets, wallets, car glove compartments, and office drawers for any old tickets, or you could be missing out on this gigantic windfall.

Could you be the lucky winner?

If you find a Lotto Max ticket from June 28, 2022, that you want to check, you can do so on the OLG app, in-store at an OLG self-checker, or through the lottery terminal at any authorized retailer.

And if you think you could be the lucky winner, OLG advises contacting its office at 1-800-387-0098.

Maybe the successful player is following these steps on what you should actually do if you win the lottery and planning their finances thoroughly.

Information about this and other unclaimed tickets can be found on the OLG's Unclaimed Tickets page.

With files from Irish Silvestre