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How Long After Winning the Lottery Do You Get the Money (in all lotteries!)

Winning a prize in the lottery immediately qualifies you as one of the luckiest people in the world. Or maybe the strategic tips on how to win the lottery worked out for you. First, let us congratulate you! Once the first rush of happiness goes away, it is time to consider how to claim your prize. The rules for claiming rewards might vary from one game to another. Here is a detailed guide on how long it takes after winning the lottery to get the money!

How Long to Claim a US Powerball Lottery Win?

US Powerball is arguably the most popular lottery game in the world. Millions of players from over the globe play this lotto, but it is undoubtedly the most popular in the United States. Some even try out the lotto dominator to win big sums, but before you think about that, you might want to cross-check if it’s actually worthwhile!

The deadline to claim the prizes won at Powerball varies from one state to another. It can be as short as 90 days or as long as 12 months. Make sure to check the backside of your slip. That is where you will find information on the expiration date of your ticket. If the ticket expires, you are not eligible to receive a reward even though you want it.

Here is how long you have to claim the prize in various states.

Jurisdiction Period
New Mexico 90 days
Puerto Rico, California (all prized but the jackpot), Wyoming, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Washington DC, Washington, Virginia, Texas, Tennessee, South Dakota, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Ohio, North Dakota, North Carolina, Nebraska, Montana, Missouri, Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Idaho, Georgia, Florida, Connecticut, Colorado, Arkansas, and Arizona 180 days
Maryland 182 days
US Virgin Islands 6 months
California (jackpot), Vermont, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Oregon, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maine, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Delaware 1 year

How Long to Claim a US Mega Millions Lottery Win?

Mega Millions has similar rules for claiming prizes, like US Powerball. Since both games are among those that had the largest jackpots ever, that is understandable. The only difference worth mentioning is that you can’t buy a ticket for Mega Millions in Puerto Rico, since they do not participate in this game.

Here is an overview of the deadlines to claim prizes in the US Powerball and Mega Millions lottery.

State Deadline to claim your Powerball and Mega Millions Winnings
Arizona 180 days
Arkansas 180 days
California 180 days for other prizes

1 year for a jackpot

Colorado 180 days
Connecticut 180 days
Delaware 1 year
Florida 180 days
Georgia 180 days
Idaho 180 days
Illinois 1 year
Indiana 180 days
Iowa 1 year
Kansas 1 year
Kentucky 180 days
Louisiana 180 days
Maine 1 year
Maryland 182 days
Massachusetts 1 year
Michigan 1 year
Minnesota 1 year
Mississippi 180 days
Missouri 180 days
Montana 180 days
Nebraska 180 days
New Hampshire 1 year
New Jersey 1 year
New Mexico 90 days
New York 1 year
North Carolina 180 days
North Dakota 180 days
Ohio 180 days
Oklahoma 180 days
Oregon 1 year
Pennsylvania 1 year
Puerto Rico 180 days
Rhode Island 1 year
South Carolina 180 days
South Dakota 180 days
Tennessee 180 days
Texas 180 days
US Virgins Island 6 months
Vermont 1 year
Virginia 180 days
Washington 180 days
Washington DC 180 days
West Virginia 180 days
Wisconsin 180 days
Wyoming 180 days

How Long to Claim a Prize in all Popular Lotteries?

The deadline to claim a prize depends on the game. This is why it is crucial to have all the information about the game before you play the game. It is worth noting that the claiming process might vary depending on the reward size and whether you bought your ticket online. Prizes with small values could be claimed immediately at a local retailer and paid online quickly. Whereas, larger prizes like the jackpot prize may take a bit longer.

Here is an overview of the time to claim prizes in worldwide lotteries.

Lottery Time to claim the prizes
Brazil Mega Sena 90 days
UK National Lottery 180 days
EuroJackpot 180 days
EuroMillions Between 90 days – 1 year depending on the country of purchase
Italy SuperEnalotto 90 days
Australian Oz Lotto Between 6 months to 7 years depending on the country on purchase
Canada 6/49 1 year
Brazil Quina 90 days
Australia Powerball Lotto 6 months to 7 years (depending on the state)
France Loto 60 days
Australia Saturday Lotto 6 months to 7 years (depending on the state)
Poland Lotto 60 days
Australia Monday and Wednesday Lotto 6 months to 7 years (depending on the state)
Germany Lotto 13 weeks
Ukraine Super Loto 180 days
Portugal TotoLoto 90 days
Mexico Melate 60 days
South Africa Lotto 365 days
Ireland Lotto 90 days
US Lotto America 365 days
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How to Claim Lottery Winnings?

You can claim your lottery winnings in two ways, depending on the size of the winnings. The main reason the prize sum matters is the speed of payment. If you win a small reward, you can claim it at your local retailer. If you purchased the ticket via a reputable online lottery site, you should see the prize sum in your account reasonably quickly after the draw is finished. It depends on the lottery and the provider, but those under a $600 limit might be issued immediately.

As for bigger prizes, you might need to wait for a banking day or two. Some rewards require proving your identity first. If you won the jackpot or other large prizes, some lotteries would require you to come to their headquarters to claim the prize. That might prolong the process of paying out your reward.

FAQs

What If You Win a Lottery with an Online Ticket?

If you play lotteries, there is no difference when purchasing tickets online and offline. The same lottery rules apply, and you receive the same rewards. The difference lies in how they are paid out. Most providers pay small rewards immediately by crediting them to your account on the website.

However, bigger rewards might require identity verification or visiting the lottery provider. In that case, the lottery site where you purchased the lottery ticket online will inform you of the required steps. If necessary, you might need to travel to the provider’s headquarters to claim the prize.

What If You Are a Non-Resident Winner?

Non-resident winners are eligible for the same prizes and subject to the same rules. However, there is a significant difference. They are subject to the tax at the source, which means the country that organizes the lottery will charge all taxes that apply. Additionally, you might also expect your home country to charge taxes, as long as there are laws that apply to lottery reward taxes.

You can check out this online lottery payout and tax calculator to calculate your prize and learn more about the taxes in various countries.

Can You Choose from Lump-Sum Payments and Installments?

It is not always the case, but some lotteries will allow you to choose between paying the reward in a single sum or picking yearly installments. However, that selection is usually only possible only for the jackpot and grand prizes, and at certain lotteries, such as Powerball and Mega Millions.

A lump-sum payment is a one-time cash option for the jackpot. Most lotteries, such as the American ones, will reduce the actual jackpot sum if you choose a lump-sum payment. The average amount actually paid is at around 61% of the jackpot sum that the provider advertised.

If you go with yearly installments, you will get the entire jackpot sum advertised (reduced by the applicable taxes). However, you will receive it in monthly or annual payments, depending on the lottery. In some cases, yearly installments spread to 20 or more years.

What Happens If You Lose a Winning Lottery Ticket?

Here is how that works – if you purchase the ticket, that is your proof that you are participating in the draw. That is why you need to store the ticket carefully. It is why people often choose to put it in a drawer or a safe box somewhere.

If you lose the winning ticket, the lotteries are not required to pay you the prize. Some lottery providers are ready to consider appeals, such as the UK National Lottery. For that game, you have 30 days to file an appeal after the draw. The claim should include game and session information, location of purchasing the ticket, the prize that you believe you won, and all other helpful details.

Claims could take a long time, and they might not work. That is why you should do your best to protect the ticket. Keep it in a safe place, and sign it on the back to confirm your ownership.

Alternatively, stick to playing the lottery online via Lotto Agent or try your luck on theLotter. That way, you can store the tickets digitally, and all it takes to access them is to log into your account.

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