Last updated: 3/29/21

Our Customer Service Centers

We look forward to you visiting one of our Customer Service Centers. Here is everything you need to know about our claims process

The Virginia Lottery is pleased to welcome players back to its Customer Service Centers.* To continue to promote public health and safety, we have adjusted our claims process. Here is everything you need to know before visiting us in person:  

Our Prize Zone at 600 E. Main Street remains closed at this time. Richmond-area winners should visit us at our Prize Zone West location at 1620 E. Parham Road 

Download and complete your claim form prior to your visit.

If possible, print and complete the claim form, found here, prior to arriving.

Ensure you have a current government-issued photo ID. Be able to give us your SSN if your prize is $600 or less. Bring PROOF of your SSN if your prize is over $600.

You will need to present all required documentation in order for us to process your claim as efficiently as possible. Information about acceptable forms of ID can be found here.

Wear a mask or similar face covering.

The Virginia Lottery will continue to follow the latest public health and safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Players will be required to wear a mask or similar face covering when visiting any of our Customer Service Centers.

Do not bring guests.

To accommodate social distancing, we are limiting the number of customers in our Customer Service Centers. Please help us accomplish that by not bringing any family or friends with you unless you need their assistance to conduct your transaction.

When you arrive to claim your prize, this will be the process:

• Sign the back of your ticket
• Have current government-issued photo ID
• Give us your Social Security/Tax ID number. Certain documented proof is required when your prize is $600 or more. Refer to that section for details.
• No more than 3-5 people will be allowed inside the customer service center.
• No more than 10 people will be allowed in line for an available space which will be designated by a Virginia Lottery decal on the sidewalk.

How to Claim

You’ve scratched your ticket, or you’ve checked those winning numbers. You’ve discovered you have a winning ticket! There's nothing quite like that feeling of winning. You want to savor it, but you also want to make sure you follow every step in the process of how to claim your lottery winnings.

Before you do anything else, sign your name on the back of the ticket. In fact, it’s a good idea to sign every ticket you buy even before you know if it’s a winner. A ticket is a bearer instrument. By signing it, you protect yourself. Never hand an unsigned ticket to another person unless you are okay with that person claiming a possible prize.

Online Claims

If you won a prize in a Lottery game while playing online, here's how to claim your prize.

When you play online, it's easy to get your money quickly. You can receive wins of less than $100 automatically. The money goes right into your player wallet, and you don't have to do anything to make a claim.

If you win more than $100, you have to file an online claim to receive your money. This process is quick and efficient. We send email updates to let you know the status of your payment, so you can track your money. Remember, you must claim your prize within 180 days or it will expire.

A new way to get paid!

The Lottery wants to make playing our games and claiming any winning prize easy.

The Virginia Lottery is pleased to offer two convenient ways to claim your winnings at our customer service centers and prize zones. You can now choose a check or a Visa debit card for prizes from $10 to $10,000. Keep in mind the Visa debit cards cannot be reloaded with new funds.

How to cash in a winning prize of $600 or less

If the prize is $600 or less, Virginia Lottery retailers may cash it. Keep in mind that many retailers don't keep large amounts of cash available, for security reasons. Retailers can, however, pay you with a check or money order. If you prefer, you can take it to a Virginia Lottery customer service center, one of the prize zones or claim your prize through the mail. We'll gladly issue you a check or a Visa debit card for your winnings. The only difference is that you'll need to provide a valid government-issued photo ID and give us your Social Security number if the prize amount is greater than $100.

How to cash in a winning prize over $600

If your prize is more than $600, you can take it to a Virginia Lottery customer service center or one of the prize zones. Below is a list of addresses and phone numbers. Be sure to bring a valid government-issued photo ID and your Social Security card or other proof of your Social Security number. Double check your photo ID and Social Security card to ensure your name is exactly the same on both documents as they need to match exactly to claim your winnings. When you get there, you'll fill out a claim form or click here to get the form now. If you have questions about what you need to claim, call 804-692-7000.

Not a U.S citizen but you reside in the U.S.? No problem. Just bring your green card (permanent resident card), a current government-issued photo ID (a Visa will work) and an official document displaying your Social Security number. Not a U.S. resident? We’ll just need to see a valid government-issued photo ID.

You can also claim your prize through the mail. Sign your ticket and mail it to: Virginia Lottery Claims, P. O. Box 1254, Richmond, VA, 23218-1254. Be sure to complete the requested information on the back of the ticket so the Lottery knows where to send the check or Visa debit card. Send a copy of all required documentation as specified in the applicable “How to cash” section. It's a good idea to make copies of the front and back of the ticket, and use registered mail to make sure your ticket arrives safely.

Don't wait too long

Draw-game tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Print 'n Play games expire 180 days after the purchase date. Scratchers expire 180 days after the end of the game. These Scratcher games are currently active or recently ended. If you don't see that game listed there, that ticket may have expired which means you may be out of luck. We DO NOT Pay on expired tickets.

Lottery prizes are taxable

If you win more than $600 it will be reported to federal and state tax agencies. If you win more than $5,000, taxes will be withheld automatically. Currently, the Lottery is required to withhold 24% for federal taxes and 4% for state taxes. If you win a large prize, it’s a good idea to talk to a tax professional soon after your win to discuss how it will affect your tax situation.

If you owe delinquent debts for things like back taxes or unpaid child support, it will be automatically withheld from prizes greater than $100 claimed at a Lottery office.

Public disclosure of winners

Don’t forget that if you win a Virginia Lottery prize, it’s not a secret. All With certain exception, prizes greater than $600 are public record. If you win a large prize, your name and photo might be posted on the Virginia Lottery website and possibly reported in news media. This proves that real people really win Virginia Lottery games. If you never heard about anyone winning the Lottery, would you play?

As of July 1, 2019, a new law in Virginia allows winners of prizes greater than $10 million to claim that prize anonymously, meaning the Lottery won’t publicly release the winner’s name or hometown unless the winner gives written permission.

For prizes of $10 million and less, the winner’s name, hometown and photo are public record. Depending on the prize, the Lottery may use the winner’s name, hometown, prize amount and photo for reasonable publicity, social media and other winner awareness!

Acceptable government-Issued photo IDs

To collect a prize, you need to show government-issued photo ID to prove you meet all the criteria to claim a Virginia Lottery prize. If you don't see the one you use on this list, you may need to get a new ID to claim your prize. The types of photo IDs accepted by the Virginia Lottery are:

• Motor Vehicle Operator's License
• Photo Identification Card issued by a local, state or federal government agency or entity
• Craft or Trade License issued by local or state government
• Armed Forces Identification
• U. S. Passport or Passport Card

Acceptable SSN documentation

Social Security number documentation is a second requirement to claim your Lottery prize. The following types of documentation can be used to claim a prize from the Virginia Lottery:

• Social Security card issued by the Social Security Administration (Neither a copy of the card nor a metal/plastic reproduction is acceptable for in-office visits)
• W2-G issued by the Virginia Lottery within the past 6 months
• W2 issued for the prior tax year with full social security number
• Federal or State income tax return filed for the prior tax year
• Verification letter from the bank on bank letterhead displaying claimant's name and social security number (Letter cannot be older than 30 days)

You will need the correct documentation to claim your prize.

The Lottery is committed to K-12 public education

Every time you play the Virginia Lottery, kids across the Commonwealth are the real winners. All Lottery profits go to the K-12 public schools in Virginia. In Fiscal Year 2019, the Lottery generated nearly $650 million for K-12 public schools.

Privacy notice

The Federal Privacy Act (Public Law 93-579), 5 USC §552a requires that this notice be provided when personal information is collected from individuals.

The Virginia Lottery is subject to the Virginia Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act (Va. Code § 2.2-3800, et seq.). Provision of a player’s social security or tax identification number is voluntary; however, the Lottery may be unable to validate and process a prize claim without the number due to the application of the Virginia Lottery Law and the regulations adopted thereunder (Va. Code § 58.1-4000, et seq.; 11 VAC 5-11-10, et seq.), as well as the Virginia Debt Setoff Collection Act (Va. Code § 58.1-520, et seq.). For prizes of $600 or more, the Virginia Lottery requires a player’s social security or tax identification number for tax withholding and reporting purposes, pursuant to 42 USC 405(c)(2)(C)(i), 26 USC 3402(q), 26 USC 6041, 26 C.F.R. 31.3042(q)-1(e) and the regulations enacted thereunder.

Information is collected to validate and process a claim and for promotional, investigative and administrative purposes. By submitting this claim, you consent and agree to such use, and waive any and all claims whether known now or in the future related thereto. The Virginia Lottery is subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Va. Code § 2.2-3700, et seq.). Once a prize has been validated, the following facts are public information and may be subject to disclosure: (i) name, (ii) city and state of residence, (iii) game played, (iv) amount won, and (v) date won. For purposes of this subsection, amount won means the nominal prize amount, the cash payment if different from the nominal prize amount, and the cash payment after taxes are withheld. The Virginia Lottery will not disclose any other personal or identifying information without your permission unless legally mandated to do so.