Where does the money unclaimed by lottery winners go?
According to the legislation, unclaimed money is allocated entirely to the Student Financing Fund (Fies).
The Lottery House
Winners of lotteries managed by Caixa Econômica Federal failed to claim over R$ 326 million in prizes during the period from January to August 2023, according to data provided by the financial institution. This amount represents approximately 60% of the total awarded in the previous year's Mega da Virada, which had a record prize of R$ 541.9 million. However, it is relevant to question the destination of the funds not claimed by bettors.
In accordance with current legislation, winners have a 90-day period from the date of the drawing to claim their prizes. In accordance with Law 3,756/2018, after this period, the amounts considered "abandoned" in all categories of lotteries in the country are entirely transferred to the Student Financing Fund (Fies), established in 1999 with the purpose of subsidizing the education of students enrolled in private higher education institutions.
In order to widely disseminate information about prize claims, Caixa employs various means, including posters available in lottery houses, messages included on betting slips, game brochures, and the bank's official website.