KEY POINTS:
The race is on in a small Canterbury town to uncover an unclaimed half-million-dollar Lotto prize before it is too late.
The countdown has been on at the Countdown supermarket in Kaiapoi, north of Christchurch, since the winning First Division ticket was bought there on June 30 last year. If no one claims the prize in the next six weeks, the money will be put back into the overall prize pool.
Kaiapoi Countdown Lotto attendant Gail Bell told the Herald that since word got out, she had been swamped with people bringing "wads" of tickets in to double-check they did not have the winning ticket.
The Lotteries Commission also fielded a number of calls yesterday from people anxious to check when and where the ticket was purchased.
Kaiapoi Lotto buyers had various theories about where the ticket might have gone, but they hoped the holder was a local.
"I'm pretty sure it's not me," said pensioner Ted Orpwood, 81.
"I have a pretty good check every week and then I bring it in to get the numbers checked again.
"I think it could be someone who has died, or someone passing through the town, perhaps from overseas, and they forgot about it."
Norma Morris, 78, reckoned the first thing residents did after the weekly draw was to check their tickets. "Good luck to whoever it is. If it was me it would all go to my five kids - $100,000 each. I don't need the money."
Commission spokeswoman Kerry Lamont said only about 3 per cent of all prizes went unclaimed.
A Lower Hutt couple had a ticket stuck to their fridge for two months before realising they had won a Caribbean trip and $100,000.
Ms Lamont's advice: "Have a good look in the usual places, like the old jacket pocket. I would be looking if I was in Kaiapoi".
