A sports lottery win, worth 16.19 million yuan, (approximately $2.5 million) remained unclaimed in Nanjing city, the capital of South China’s Jiangsu province, on July 29, 2011, the largest unclaimed win ever, the Nanjing Daily reported.

The Gaoloumen roadside lottery shop, where the unclaimed winning lottery ticket was sold on May 30, 2011.[Photo/Asianewsphoto]

The lottery expired at midnight on July 28, 2011, 60 days after the ticket was sold.

As it was not claimed by the deadline, the relevant staff at the provincial sports lottery center waited until 2 am on July 29 for the winner to show up, but still, no eligible winner presented themselves.

The Jiangsu Provincial Sports Lottery Center declared the lottery invalid on July, 29, 2011.

It is said to be the largest unclaimed lottery win in China.

The unclaimed money will be redistributed into a sports lottery welfare fund for the benefit of social welfare causes, according to relevant policy, the Jiangsu Provincial Sports Lottery Center said.

The center also mentioned that this is the seventh abandoned lottery ticket case in Jiangsu province with sums above five million yuan. Of the rest, three were in Suzhou, one in Lianyungang, one in Nanjing and the last in Taizhou.