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Claiming Prizes FAQ
How long do I have to claim my prize?
The claim period varies by game. Instant tickets
are valid for 90 days after the announced end of the
game. Pick 3, Pick 4 and $100,000 Cash Game tickets
are valid for 90 days from the date of the drawing.
Powerball and Hot Lotto tickets are valid for 365
days from the date of the drawing.
How are large lottery prizes claimed? Do the
winners have to come to Des Moines?
Subject to cash availability, retailers are asked to pay up to $600. For prizes over
$600* you can mail your signed winning ticket with a
claim form to the Iowa Lottery
headquarters. Click here
for address.
You can also cash winning tickets* at any of our
regional offices located in Des Moines, Cedar
Rapids, Mason City, Storm Lake and Council
Bluffs. Addresses are available by clicking here.
*Powerball and Hot Lotto jackpot prizes must be claimed
at Lottery headquarters in Des Moines.
Can we claim a prize as a
group? Do we get individual checks?
Prizes can be paid to players who play as a group. A check can be written to an
entity such as a trust or a single individual. We suggest that a group holding
a winning ticket contact the lottery for information regarding the options available. We
also suggest that the back of the ticket may not be signed until the group has determined how the
ticket is to be submitted for prize claim.
If the numbers are wrong
in the paper, what happens if my numbers match?
Occasionally, incorrect numbers appear in various postings. While the lottery regrets that
errors in posting may occur, incorrect postings do not reflect the official numbers required for
payment of prizes. Prizes can be paid only for tickets bearing those numbers drawn and certified
as official numbers by the independent auditors who audit all Lottery drawings.
Is the lottery required to
withhold money an individual may owe to the state?
Yes. The lottery is required by law to withhold income offsets from prize payments, such as
amounts that may be owed to various government agencies. Prize recipients receive any balance
remaining after application of the offset.
If I choose to receive
payments over 30 years and I die before the 30 years
are up, what happens to the remaining money?
If the winner should die the money would go to
the winner's estate. The lottery will make future
payments as determined by the estate or the court.
If I have won a jackpot
already, can I keep playing to win another?
You can keep playing even after you've won a
jackpot. There is no limit to the number of times
a player may win.
Do you have a promotion
where I send in my nonwinning tickets?
From time to time, the lottery runs a variety of promotions, including occasional opportunities
to submit nonwinning tickets as entries for prize drawings.
Is it still possible to claim a TouchPlay prize?
The TouchPlay project ended in May 2006 and the Iowa Lottery established rules for the
time period during which TouchPlay players could continue to claim prizes. The claim
period for all TouchPlay prizes has expired. TouchPlay prizes of more than $600 must have been
claimed by Aug. 29, 2006, at any lottery regional office. TouchPlay prizes of $600 or less must have been
claimed by May 4, 2006, at the location where they were won.
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