Experiencing the thrill of having won the lottery! If you think you have matched the winning lottery numbers, here are the steps you should take to claim your prize.

Have I Won The Lottery?

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Before taking steps to claim your prize, double-check your numbers against the official drawing results with the ones drawn or visit our Lottery Results. This will help you confirm that you have correctly matched the winning numbers and know what prize amount will fill your pockets.

Who Can Claim Lottery Winnings?

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Once you confirm that you are a winner, Congratulations!! But remember, in California winners must be 18 years or older.

Your next step is to sign the back of your ticket. Be aware that some U.S. state lotteries allow you to claim your lottery money as a trust so you can avoid revealing your identity. Check the anonymity policy of your state below to see what information they will make public. Also, some states permit lotteries to be claimed by groups, while others have special rules for lottery pools. If you are part of a lottery pool, the name that you sign to your winning ticket should take these rules into consideration.

How Long Do I Have To Claim My Prize?

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Lottery winners have 180 days from the date of drawing to claim their prize. If your lottery prize gives an option of claiming it as a lump sum or an annuity, winners have 60 days from the date they claim their prize to choose between payout options.

Where Should I Go To Claim My Lottery Prize?

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The answer to this question lies in, “how much have you won?”, or “what is the size of the prize?”. Prizes worth $599 or less can be claimed at lottery retailers. Prizes larger than this require that you stop by the regional offices of the state lottery or mail your claim following the instructions provided on the official site.

Prizes Up To $599

  • The retailers are entitled to redeem the winning tickets up to $599
  • Make sure you have identification proofs for Photo ID verifying name, signature, age, and Social Security card
  • You can also redeem your winnings by filling out the Claim form, available at the official website, retailer and even at the District Office of the Lottery
  • The Lottery is not responsible for mail, tickets or claim forms that are late, lost, damaged, misdirected, misaddressed, incomplete or illegible

For Prizes $600 And More

  • You have to fill the Claim Form available at the official website, retailer and even the District Office of the Lottery and visit the Lottery District Office
  • You can also Mail the original ticket and signed the Claim Form to the below-mentioned address
  • The Lottery is not responsible for mail, tickets or claim forms that are late, lost, damaged, misdirected, misaddressed, incomplete or illegible

Claiming Process For Second Chance Wins!

  • The lottery will not notify you to log in to your account for “important information”
  • You have to sign in to your Lottery account and you’ll see your prize and a link to a Second Chance Claim Form.
  • The Second Chance Claim Form is available for download on the Lottery’s official website.
  • Fill out the Claim Form and don’t forget it to sign and verify it.

California Lottery Mailing Address

California State Lottery
Attn: 2nd Chance Promotion
700 North 10th Street MS: 2-2
Sacramento, CA 95811-0336

California Lottery Mailing Address For Second Chance Wins

California State Lottery
730 North 10th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811

Can I Stay Anonymous After Winning The Lottery?

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The California lottery commission website says that lottery winners cannot remain anonymous. Winners must publicly disclose their first name and the first initial of their last name. The location where the winning ticket was purchased is made publicly available. Winners may also choose to have their pictures taken for publicity purposes.

All lottery winner information is subject to Freedom of Information Act requests. Therefore, while some information may not be automatically shared with the public, requests for information may be granted.

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