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How to Claim a Powerball Prize
Powerball is a lottery which can offer billion-pound jackpots and requires co-ordination with dozens of U.S. state lotteries, but claiming a prize is easy. Find out what you need to do to get your hands on your money, whether you win the top prize or the bottom one, play online or in-store.
Claim Period
One key point to remember is the claim period. If you buy your ticket in the UK, you have 180 days from the draw date to claim any prize you win.
Online Winners
| Amount Won | How to Claim |
|---|---|
| Up to £500 | Prizes of this value are paid directly into your National Lottery account. |
| £500.01 to £30,000 | Log in to your National Lottery account, go to ‘My Games’ and enter your password to confirm your card details. The prize will then be paid out. |
| £30,000.01 to £50,000 | Contact the National Lottery on 0333 234 44 33 so the claim can be verified. Prizes will be paid by cheque. |
| Prizes over £50,000 | All prizes of this value must be claimed in person, so you need to call the National Lottery on 0333 234 44 33 to start the process. |
Tickets Bought in Person
| Amount Won | How to Claim |
|---|---|
| £100 or less | This covers most prizes, and it’s simple to claim just by taking your ticket to a retailer to be scanned. If you are a winner, you’ll receive your cash straight away. |
| £100.01 to £500 | Some retailers will pay out prizes up to £500 (or at least validate your ticket). They may even be able to pay onto a debit card if they do not have the cash available. |
| £500.01 to £50,000 | Start your claim online by filling out details from your ticket. The National Lottery will guide you through the rest of the process. |
| Prizes over £50,000 | Contact the National Lottery directly on 0333 234 50 50. A date will be arranged for you to claim the money in person. |
Winning The Jackpot
If you win the jackpot, you’ll need to contact the National Lottery using the details above to kick off the claims process. They will be able to confirm your winnings over the phone and then set up an appointment to discuss the next steps.
The jackpot is paid out over 30 years, so the National Lottery will set up an annuity policy and guide you through exactly how the instalments will work. You can expect to receive graduated payments, increasing year on year. The first instalment will be paid as soon as the claim has been validated, followed by 29 further annual payments.
Tickets Purchased Outside the UK
Powerball is an international game that can be played in 45 U.S. states, plus the jurisdictions of Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. If you buy a ticket while visiting one of these participating locations, you must also claim any prizes you win from the relevant lottery operator. You wouldn’t be able to claim back in the UK if you played while on holiday in the U.S.
Each state has its own claim period, which is usually 180 days or one year from the draw date. Be aware of the rules where you play if you take part outside the UK, as there are minor differences from place to place.
