What happens if no one claims the Mega Millions jackpot

Weeks have passed since an Illinois ticket purchased the $1.34 billion Mega Millions jackpot.

[{"selector":"#anim-4795150a-2413-4d65-a736-dffac97acd9e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-27.989130343160966%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-467eb321-b758-4310-a6a7-56b4e8f1d891","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-da667134-1fcb-406e-9598-52e2e343c32f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(106.61157%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The second-biggest prize in the game's 20-year history has not yet been claimed, while the greatest jackpot ever won was $1.537 billion in South Carolina in 2018.

[{"selector":"#anim-5d5a5f17-c5c7-4377-8e37-08540173e4bb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(7.812499744007886%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9fe7fead-8fdc-429f-ae83-390b25aa715b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c8971d7-9f03-4018-88e4-2a9b9d53a020","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-109.85508%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

According to the Mega Millions website, there are different procedures and deadlines for each state's prizes.

[{"selector":"#anim-dbad2b7a-58ee-4119-b35d-5c148c00dd29 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-30.118991396799196%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46519c12-37ba-494a-a56c-ab010d72d31a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(103.69393%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a765173b-12a2-4e7e-b3cf-b4dcc954dd63","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-184e24dc-ad77-4e0d-b99f-f101e7268238","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

According to the Illinois Lottery, winners may have up to a year to claim their prize.

[{"selector":"#anim-87eaf0c4-ef18-4d9f-ba22-60260189a86e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(29.89130424328208%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-197d455f-577e-45b1-8074-48db45120ada","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.10975%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-52517c7e-f39c-482d-8dd0-4310f4e2630c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-33567376-03ab-4a4e-9a17-77d4a6170a8a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-9f2671be-7bae-4f8b-856e-f75567fedd5b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f760da80-9b96-4728-aa98-e9b9690770d4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69a88d74-a62d-43e0-96a9-2c65f420fb0c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 131.58858%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Each participating state in the Mega Millions game will receive a full refund of the money it donated if a jackpot award is not claimed within the required time frame.

Although the states have diverse uses for their unclaimed lottery winnings, unclaimed money usually stays in the state's lottery budget.

[{"selector":"#anim-a4a78e97-e55e-4739-a4ec-25708295ac61 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(7.812499744007886%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-73a02d06-b991-4b35-90bd-e6a950448d52","keyframes":[{"offset":0,"transform":"translate3d(0, -506.7811%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.29,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.45,"transform":"translate3d(0, -142.50684532%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.61,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.71,"transform":"translate3d(0, -48.44827316%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.8,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.85,"transform":"translate3d(0, -18.19344149%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.92,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.96,"transform":"translate3d(0, -7.90578516%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":1,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"}],"delay":0,"duration":1600,"fill":"both"}]

According to the state lottery, almost one-fourth of every lottery dollar wagered in Illinois goes toward paying public education.

[{"selector":"#anim-0502b0f5-ecd8-4add-805b-198e4a4c2e5e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.249999886225726%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b835e6d-7b5c-4347-bab5-b770154ebe36","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bf016b3f-6d88-4742-8de7-d397aa881994","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 122.51463%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The state's education budget received $731 million from lottery sales last year.

[{"selector":"#anim-b2c100d6-5224-49e5-9b30-32483d25c6c3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13e0f52a-a7a0-4061-9a3e-be2e02a319cd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]