We helped a lottery player this week who had gone to a store where his prize couldn’t be paid. Ultimately, he was able to claim his $200 in winnings, and I’ll share the same details here that we provided to him.
The Iowa Lottery requires that its retailers pay prizes of up to $100. We ask that they pay prizes of up to $600, but not all stores keep that amount of cash on hand. And we understand the reasons why. Safety is a top priority in retail locations for staff and customers, with available cash routinely kept at a minimum, especially during business hours after dark.
If the retail location you've visited isn't able to pay your prize, you have a couple options: You can try to claim it at a larger store that sells lottery tickets, such as a supermarket. Or, you can visit one of our offices or send the ticket to us at the Iowa Lottery so we can validate it.
All prizes of more than $600 have to be claimed directly from the Iowa Lottery. Our offices can provide greater security when you’re claiming a larger amount of money, and there are tax forms you’ll need to fill out when you’re claiming a prize of that size.
Our Regional Offices in Cedar Rapids, Mason City and Storm Lake can pay prizes of up to $250,000.
Our very biggest prizes – meaning those of more than $250,000 – as well as some merchandise prizes have to be claimed in person at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.
We keep all the details about the claims process, including the documentation you'll need to have with you, on our website’s How To Claim A Prize page.
Good luck on your tickets and we hope to meet you as a winner soon!
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