Mega Millions

No. State law prevents the sale of Louisiana Lottery products through the internet. Only licensed retailers are legally authorized to sell Louisiana Lottery tickets.

Yes! The Multidraw features on draw-style games allows players to purchase plays for multiple drawings, up to 14 for Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5, and up to 20 for Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto, and Easy 5. If you win a prize during one of the drawings, you do not have to wait until the last drawing has occurred before collecting those winnings. When you cash a winning Multidraw ticket with drawings still remaining, the Lottery's terminal system will print out an exchange ticket good for the balance of the remaining drawings and with the same numbers as on your original ticket. The retailer will retain the original ticket as it is no longer valid and give your exchange ticket with your winnings.

Visit our Claim a Prize page to see the claims options we have available.

Winning draw-style game tickets can be claimed up to 180 days following the drawing in which the prize was won.

Winners have 60 days after the ticket is validated by the lottery to elect either the annuity or cash payment options.

The prize on a winning ticket may be split among a group; however, only one prize check is issued, either to one person or one legal entity (partnership, trust, etc.). Each member of the group provides a completed IRS Form W-9 for tax reporting purposes at the time of the claim. The check recipient must provide picture identification and is responsible for distributing the winnings to the group members.

For a prize paid in a single payment, the check recipient may choose to complete a Federal Form 5754 that ensures the tax obligation of the prize is distributed among the group members according to the gross prize amount of each person’s share. This allows the Lottery to send a separate W-2G tax form to each individual winner noting the amount won and withheld on their behalf.

Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots prizes may be paid in the annuity payment format or the single payment cash option, but the group members must all decide on one payment option. It's not possible for some group members to take the cash option and others to choose the annuity.

While it's not necessary for a group to form a legal entity to claim the cash option, the Lottery asks groups of winners to form a legal entity with an assigned tax identification number for a jackpot prize paid in annual installments. This simplifies the tax reporting and prize distribution process. When claiming a prize as a legal entity, the legal document organizing the entity must list the name of each member of the group, their city of residence, and the portion of the prize each person will receive.

The Lottery encourages all players to seek financial advice before claiming a large jackpot prize. As with all claims, the names of those receiving prize funds and their city of residence is public record.

Players should sign the back of their ticket for security purposes, secure their ticket, and treat it as cash. We also recommend that players who believe they hold a Powerball, Mega Millions, or Lotto jackpot-winning ticket contact the Lottery's headquarters immediately at 225-297-2000 to schedule a time to claim their prize and have their questions answered. This will facilitate a smooth prize payment process. Players who believe they hold a jackpot-winning ticket must bring the original ticket to the Lottery's corporate headquarters in Baton Rouge within 180 days of the drawing in which the prize was won for verification and any prize payment. The Lottery recommends that before coming to claim a jackpot prize, winners get financial advice so they fully understand the tax or other legal implications involved.

If you win more than $600 and are therefore required to claim your prize at a Lottery office, you will be required to complete a claim form for tax purposes. Under the Lottery's statute, all prize payment records are open records, meaning that the public has a right to request the information. Depending upon the amount won and public or media interest in the win, winners may NOT be able to remain anonymous. The statute also allows the Lottery to use winners' names and city of residence for publicity purposes such as news releases. The Lottery's regular practice is not to use winner information in paid advertising or product promotion without the winner's willingness to participate.

When a prize is claimed it becomes the property of that individual, even if the prize is paid out as an annuity. Hence, all winnings become a part of the estate of the deceased.

Currently, 47 lotteries participate in Mega Millions, including Louisiana. The others are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Virgin Islands.

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On November 6, 2011, the Lottery introduces a new multistate game, Mega Millions, a $1 per play draw-style game featuring starting jackpots of $12 million.

No. Each state participating in Mega Millions contributes a percentage of their sales to fund the jackpot. Louisiana is responsible for about 3 percent of total Mega Millions sales and prize pool funding. As in all other games, the Louisiana Lottery Corporation transfers 25% of all Mega Millions sales to the Louisiana state treasury, no matter where the top prize is won.