“It is possible that maybe they lost the ticket and did not even realize it. A lot of people buy their tickets and put them in the bag, and they don't even realize that they won the lottery," Arturo Vázquez, who plays the lottery, said.
Sergio Vázquez, who won a $100,000 prize in 2013, says he made sure "the ticket was secure."
What should you do to prevent this from happening to you? The California Lottery recommends that you keep proof of the ticket.
"Take a picture of the front and back of the ticket so if it is damaged or lost, you have proof," de la Cruz said.