A man who lives in another Midwestern state recently contacted us to ask if he could win a jackpot in Iowa even if he doesn’t live here. The short answer is yes. Keep reading for further details.
It’s perfectly OK for people from other states and countries to play – and win – the Iowa Lottery. The requirements for them are the same as those for everybody else: They have to be at least 21 years old to buy a ticket and the ticket must be purchased at a lottery retailer here in Iowa.
If you win an Iowa Lottery prize and you’re not a resident of the United States, you may pay a higher amount in withholding than a U.S. citizen would, but you definitely can play and win!
If you’re from another state, you’ll still pay the Iowa withholding rate that applies to your prize, then you’ll file that tax paperwork back in your home state to see if any adjustments should be made due to a difference in the tax rates between the two states.
Our prize winners through the years have of course included lots of Iowans, but also folks from other states and countries. Sometimes we’ll hear grousing that only Iowans should win in Iowa Lottery games, but I would guess the same folks who make that argument also want the chance to play the lottery in other states when they’re traveling. So on that point, as that old saying goes: Turnabout is fair play!
Happy playing to everyone who buys tickets in our games, and we hope to see YOU as a big winner soon.
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