Prize Payment Options

Prize Payment Options

All Prizes of $600 or Less

These prizes may be claimed by any participating Lottery retailer by presenting an original winning ticket.

Lotto, Easy 5, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Fast Play & all Scratch-Off Prizes of $5,000 or Less

Prizes of over $600 must be claimed at a Lottery office or by mail.
These prizes may also be claimed by mail with the following:
  1. Sign and complete the information on the back of their winning ticket and ensure that all barcodes are clearly visible (scratch-off material completely removed from scratch-off tickets).
  2. Photocopy of the front and back of the ticket, except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets as photocopies are not accepted. See below.
  3. Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form and be sure it includes your telephone number and mailing address for your prize check
  4. Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.
  5. Mail the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Corporation

Attn: Prize Validations

P.O. Box 90010

Baton Rouge, LA 70879-0010

Players who mail in their claims using this new option are advised to retain their original ticket in the event there is an issue with delivery. In addition, the Lottery reserves the right to require an original ticket if there is a question regarding the claim. Winning tickets can only be claimed once, and after a prize is paid on a photocopied ticket, the original is no longer valid for prize payment.

Prizes of Over $5,000 & Powerball and Mega Millions Prizes

Original tickets are required to claim prizes on tickets of any game winning more than $5,000. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office. Lotto, Powerball and Mega Millions Jackpot prizes, as well as any Powerball or Mega Millions prize of over $510,000 must be claimed at Lottery headquarters.
Also, based on multistate game rules, original winning tickets are still required to claim ALL Powerball and Mega Millions prizes. The option to claim by mail using photocopied tickets does not apply to winning tickets from these games.
Prize Claim Deadlines
• Winning draw-style game prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing in which the prize was won.
• Winning scratch-off and Fast Play prizes must be claimed within 90 days of the announced game closure. Click here for a list of upcoming instant-win  prize claim deadlines.
Tax Withholdings

Tax Withholdings

Both the federal and state government consider winnings from all forms of gaming to be income for tax purposes. By law, the Louisiana Lottery must report winnings from each single ticket with a prize value over $600 to the Internal Revenue Service and the Louisiana Department of Revenue and Taxation. Income tax regulations require the Louisiana Lottery to withhold 24 percent federal taxes from each prize over $5,000 and 4.25 percent state taxes from prizes of $5,000 or more. A gambling income statement, W-2G, is printed for each ticket greater than $600 and given to the claimant when they receive their prize check. Winners should keep the W-2G secure until they are ready to file federal and state income taxes.