Winner Winner

We always see those stories about some guy cleaning out the center console in his Chevy Biscayne, and, while doing so, finding a million-dollar lottery ticket that's about to expire in 25 minutes.

How about one where some guy buys a Mega Millions ticket that hits for a million simoleons and then never claims the money?

Down in Fort Washington, Maryland, a person unknown plunked down money for a ticket, and picked a winner, and unless he or she shows up at the Lottery office by Christmas Eve, that piece of paper will be a bookmark soon, because the ticket was never turned in. 

The winner was bought the very day of the drawing - June 26 of this year. The winning numbers were 17, 25, 29, 39 and 60; the Mega Ball number was 19.

If you remember visiting Tantallon Exxon at 10815 Indian Head Highway on that day in early summer, perhaps you bought that winning ducat and shoved it into one of the 8 pockets in your cargo shorts.  If so, look in your pants and take that ticket to the to the Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center at 1800 Washington Boulevard in Baltimore.

Technically, the day the game expires is a state holiday, so the winner must claim the prize by 4:15 p.m. Monday, Dec. 24.

But just think of how many new pairs of cargo pants you can get for your million!  All Fort Washingtonians should look for the ticket at once.