An amazing Lotto prize of £173,557 has yet to be claimed in Carmarthenshire. National Lottery players are being urged to check and double-check their tickets for the chance to claim this life-enhancing prize.

The search is now on to find the owner of the winning ticket, bought in Carmarthenshire, who matched five numbers and the bonus ball in the Lotto draw on Saturday 1 December 2012. The winning Lotto numbers on that date were 5, 27, 31, 32, 38, 49 and the bonus ball was 1. The lucky ticket-holder has until Thursday 30 May 2013 to claim their prize1.

If no-one comes forward with the winning ticket before the prize claim deadline, then the prize money, plus all the interest it has generated, will go to The National Lottery Good Causes – adding to the £29 billion already raised through sales of lottery tickets since The National Lottery launched in November 1994.

A National Lottery spokesperson said: “We’re desperate to find this mystery ticket-holder and unite them with their winnings – this amazing prize could really make a huge difference to somebody’s life, especially in the lead up to Christmas. We’re urging everyone to check their old tickets again or look anywhere a missing ticket could be hiding.

“Try checking in the pockets of clothing, in wallets, bags and down the back of the sofa – someone out there could literally be sitting on a fortune! We have the champagne on ice and our fingers crossed that the lucky winner comes forward to claim their win.”

To jog Lotto players’ memories, Troublemaker by Olly Murs ft. Florida topped the UK singles chart at the time, whilst Rihanna was at the top of the album charts with Unapologetic.

Rugby union fans will remember that local teams, Carmarthen Quins and Llanelli, were in action in the Welsh Premiership on the evening of Friday 30 November – the day before the Lotto draw. While Carmarthen Quins couldn’t overcome Neath, going down 12-17 at home, Llanelli fared better in their home fixture against Aberavon with a convincing 26-11 win.

Anyone who believes they have the winning ticket for any of the National Lottery draws within the 180-day deadline should call the National Lottery Line on 0845 910 0000.

Anyone concerned about lost or unchecked tickets may like to consider either setting up a National Lottery Subscription, playing online at www.national-lottery.co.uk or on their mobile phone. Numbers can be entered in advance and lucky winners are notified online if their numbers come up. For further information call 0845 912 5000 or visit www.national-lottery.co.uk.

Players can contact Camelot by telephoning the National Lottery Line during its normal operating hours. Alternatively, players can email Camelot to confirm they intend to claim their prize but this email must be received no later than 11pm on 30 May 2013. Please see Game Rules and Procedures for full details of how to claim.