Staff at the welfare lottery claim center stayed till midnight on Jan 11, 2015 but the winner failed to show up. [Photo: Dongguan Lottery Center]

The welfare lottery center in east China's Dongguan city has decided to donate more than 20 million yuan or 3 million US dollars in lottery prizes.

The decision was made after a lottery winner failed to claim a jackpot by the expiration date.

A ticket vendor in the city sold two tickets worth more than 25-million yuan combined.

Yang Xianjun is the manager of the lottery center.

"In 2015, lottery tickets sold in our city included 18 winners worth a million-yuan each, and 5 winners worth ten-million-yuan each. The biggest jackpot last year was worth nearly 31 million yuan and the unclaimed 25-million-yuan prize was the second biggest. "

China's lottery rules speculate the prize winner should redeem the prize within 60 days after it is announced.

The expired prize money will be put into the welfare fund if no one claims it.

The local welfare lottery center donated the money to the welfare fund after no one showed up as of midnight on Monday to claim the winnings.