So, you’ve won a Lottery prize - CONGRATULATIONS!

• Now what?

  After winning the lottery, the first step is completing the back of your ticket, including your name, address, phone number and signature. Remember, each lottery ticket is a bearer document, meaning it is legally owned by whomever possesses it, at least until it is signed.
  
  Lottery winners of jackpot prizes, annuity prizes and other prizes of $100,000 or more should check out the Pennsylvania Lottery’s Winners’ Handbook for helpful hints on what to do before and after claiming their prizes.

• Where do I claim my prize?

  Raffle Early Bird Bonus Drawing Winners click here to learn how to claim your prize.
  
  Pennsylvania Lottery retailers can pay lottery prizes up to and including $2,500. If you’ve won more than $600 on a single ticket, you must fill out a standard claim form and send it to the PA Lottery headquarters. You can obtain a standard claim form at any licensed Lottery retailer or one of the Lottery’s seven area offices. Or, you may fill out the claim form online, print it out and take it with your winning ticket to your nearest area office. If you’ve won more than $2,500, the PA Lottery will process your claim form and send you a Lottery prize check within four to six weeks.
  
  Winners of  PICK 3, PICK 4, PICK 5, Cash 5, Treasure Hunt and Match 6 jackpots or top prizes over $2,500 may file prize claims at Lottery headquarters in Middletown or any Lottery area office. Prize claims can also be filed at any Pennsylvania Lottery retailer.
  
  A Powerball® or Mega Millions® jackpot winner must file a claim form at Lottery headquarters in Middletown.
  
  If you’ve won an annuity top or second-level prize for Cash4Life™, you must claim your prize at Lottery headquarters.

• How long will it take to receive my check?

  Typically, it takes approximately four to six weeks to process your claim once it has been received at Lottery headquarters. However, if your prize claim is received in December, it will be processed at the beginning of the new year to ensure prize payments and tax forms are issued in the same calendar year.

• How long do I have to collect a prize?

  Winners have up to one year from the date of a drawing to claim a prize from one of the Pennsylvania Lottery’s terminal-based games: PICK 2, PICK 3, PICK 4, PICK 5, Cash4Life, Cash 5, Match 6 Lotto, Mega Millions, Powerball, Treasure Hunt, and Millionaire Raffle. Such claims can be made at any retailer location within 180 days of the drawing date. After 180 days, however, winners must file a claim form for terminal-based prizes that exceed $100.  A winning Scratch-Off may be presented for prize payment up to one year after the game’s end-sale date. The Lottery maintains a list of Scratch-Offs that have ended sales on its website to assist players.

• How do I claim a prize if I live out of state?

  With multi-state games such as Powerball, Mega Millions or Cash4Life, prizes must be claimed in the state where the winning ticket was sold. A jackpot winner or annuity top prize winner must file a claim form in person at Lottery headquarters in Middletown, but any other out-of-state winner can mail a claim to Lottery headquarters. Sign your ticket and make a copy of the ticket, front and back, for your records. Then send the original ticket to the following address:
  
  Pennsylvania Lottery
  ATTN: CLAIMS
  1200 Fulling Mill Road, Suite 1
  Middletown, PA  17057

  
  
• Can a group share a prize?

  Individual checks for group prize claims will be issued only for prizes of $50,000 or more where individual shares of the prize are $2,501 or more.  
  
  To request individual checks for qualifying group prize claims, winners must indicate on claim forms that they want individual checks.  Each member of the group must complete IRS form 5754 to accompany the claim form at the time of submission. Additionally, beneficiary forms will be provided to group members if individual shares are $500,000 or more.  

• Are Lottery prizes taxable?

  Under law, Lottery prizes over $5,000 are subject to withholding (meaning the Lottery will withhold the minimum amount of applicable taxes before sending you your prize check).
  
  Your total tax liability on Lottery prizes depends on income, deductions, exemptions and other factors, so please consult with a qualified tax professional when filing your tax return.
  
  In addition, for all prizes of $600 or more, you will receive a W-2G form from the Lottery to report your winnings and submit with your tax returns.These forms will usually arrive by mail in February for prizes awarded in the preceding calendar year.

• Can I remain anonymous although I’m a Lottery prize winner?

  Certain winner information is public under Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law. Pennsylvania Lottery policy also permits the publishing of the following information on its website:

  
  

  Name and/or partial name of the winner(s)
  City and/or county of residence
  Name of game won
  Date of win
  Prize amount

  
  

  The Pennsylvania Lottery must be accountable to the taxpayers and residents who benefit from Lottery-funded programs, and transparency of operations is important to the Lottery’s integrity. Providing winners’ information is also of interest to players who want to see the winners of the games they play.

  
  

  Players appearing in Winners’ Circle Stories have specifically granted the Lottery permission to share their photo, name and story.