It's like playing the lottery, only you don't have to buy a ticket.
And the odds are much better.... 1 in 10 Missourians.
Plus, the stakes are higher. Missouri's Unclaimed Property Division is holding nearly $500-million.
Thursday night thanks to a little help from the Battlefield Mall... Ozarkers found about $100,000 of that missing money.
It was one of the best public events ever for the Missouri Treasurer's Unclaimed Property Division.
The team searched about 500 names. Roughly half of them had unclaimed property worth $100,000.
Two sisters found money their mother left them from an insurance policy years ago.
"She would have been 100 years old today," said Marion Gross.
"She's still taking care of us," said her sister Alice Baker.
The unclaimed property team searched its database for four hours at the Battlefield Mall. In that time they found more property than they find in a week at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.
Even the state treasurer herself got in on the act, checking names on the computer.
“This money belongs to citizens of the state of Missouri and it's our job to give it back to them,’ said Treasurer Sarah Steelman.

This is nothing new for Monica Boone, of the Unclaimed Property. She's the private eye of unclaimed property. Away from events like the Battlefield Mall, she has to track down certain owners.
"These are the claim forms I sent out since September,” said Boone holding up about 60 files in her Jefferson City office. “No response."

Some of the claims go as far as Tokyo, others are right in our backyard.

"This claim is from someone who used to live in Hollister,” she says pointing to a random file on the top of the pile. “Still does! Somebody in Hollister has $32,000."

When Monica checked one woman's name at the Battlefield Mall, the woman had $40,000 in unclaimed property. One man found a slightly lesser amount for this brother.
"They found something for my brother...$10... it was a utility refund," said Blake Loveland.

The state of Missouri holds this money forever for the rightful owners or heirs. And the state gives it back to you free of charge.
There are heir finders out there who will also help you get your money. They will charge you a fee.

If people missed the event at the mall, can they still check their names online at the State Treasurer’s website.
Click here to view the site.

KSPR has hired a private investigator to find some people in the Ozarks. We'll be profiling those stories in the coming weeks. So if we come knocking on your door, it's going to be a very good day!