M
Virginia
Mega Millions
Latest draw · Tuesday, August 18, 2026 · evening
5
19
30
38
59
12
Claim window
180 days
Retailer pays up to
$599
Lottery
Virginia
How to claim a Mega Millions prize
- 1 Sign the back of your ticket immediately. A lottery ticket is a bearer instrument — whoever holds a signed ticket owns the prize.
- 2 Check what you won against the prize table.
- 3 Claim before the deadline — you have about 180 days from the draw date. Prizes left unclaimed are forfeited.
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Small prizes
Up to $599 — cash out at any authorized retailer.
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Mid-tier prizes
Above the retailer limit — claim at a Virginia lottery claim center or district office, often by mail too.
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Jackpot / top prize
Claim at lottery headquarters. Choose lump sum or annuity — see the tax calculator for take-home.
What you'll need
- ✅ Your original, signed winning ticket
- ✅ Valid government-issued photo ID
- ✅ Your Social Security / taxpayer number for larger prizes (for tax reporting)
- ✅ A completed claim form for prizes claimed at an office
- Sign your ticket even before you know that you’re a winner.
- Prizes up to $599 can be redeemed at the retail store without any hassle.
- Prizes worth more than $599 can be claimed at the official office of Powerball by filling out the claim form.
- You can either take out the prize money as a lump sum or annuity (for over 29 years).
Claim rules and deadlines vary by prize amount and are set by the Virginia lottery.
Confirm on the official Virginia site ↗