In the late 1980s, the state of Louisiana was searching for ways to increase revenue without raising its citizens' taxes. In 1990, the Louisiana Legislature endorsed Act 1045, which allowed for the creation of the state of Louisiana lottery. Voters passed a constitutional amendment to create the state lottery with nearly 70% of voters supporting the notion. The lottery officially debuted on Oct. 6, 1990. It sold its first scratch-off ticket nearly one year later in September of 1991. Read on for more information about the Louisiana Lottery prizes, FAQs and next drawings.
Here's the process for claiming Louisiana Lottery prizes.
To claim a prize by mail, complete the form on the back of the winning ticket, sign it, and make a photocopy of both the front and the back. Then mail it along with a completed claim form and a copy of your ID to:
Louisiana Lottery Corporation Headquarters
ATTN: Prize Validations
P.O. Box 90010
Baton Rouge, LA 70879-0010
Keep a copy of all claim documents for your records.
Prize | Options |
---|---|
$600 or less | Option 1 Claim at any local retailer. |
Option 2 Claim at any Louisiana Lottery claim center. | |
Option 3 Claim by mail. | |
$601 to $5,000 | Option 1 Claim at any Louisiana Lottery claim center. |
Option 2 Claim by mail. | |
Over $5,000 | Claim at any Louisiana Lottery claim center. |
Here are the taxes withheld from lottery prizes for U.S. citizens or residents, in Louisiana.
Winnings | Tax | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Over $5,000 | State Tax | 4.25% |
Federal Tax | 24% | |
Total: 28.25% |
If the winner of the prize is not a U.S. citizen or resident, the Louisiana Lottery withholds a greater amount for taxes.
Winnings | Tax | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Over $5,000 | State Tax | 4.25% |
Federal Tax | 30% | |
Total: 34.25% |
You can purchase a lottery ticket in Louisiana as long as you're
21 years old. Ticket purchasers must show proof of age by providing a federal
ID, military ID, passport, state ID card, or driver's license. The individual's
preferred identification method must have their date of birth and a photo.
Individuals who are under 21 years old can play the lottery if
someone who's at least 21 years old bought the ticket for them as a gift. A
family member or legal guardian who's older than 21 must accompany an underage
player to claim their prize.
Louisiana Lottery drawings begin at approximately 9:30 p.m.,
though the drawings don't begin until employees confirm that retailers have
closed ticket sales. Players must purchase tickets for the Pick 5, Pick 4, Pick
3, Easy 5, and Lotto draw games by 9:30 p.m. of the drawing night. Players who
want to buy tickets for the multi-state Powerball game must complete their
ticket purchases by 9:00 p.m.
Drawings for the Pick 5, Pick 4, and Pick 3 games take place every
evening except on the evenings of Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. Drawings for
Powerball, Lotto, and Easy 5 occur every Saturday and Wednesday.
Drawings for Louisiana Lottery games take place at the
organization's headquarters in Baton Rouge. The Louisiana Lottery videotapes
all drawings and completes them in a secure room to prevent individuals from
tampering with the results. The drawing machines are random number generators
that are separate from the systems that sell the tickets.
The Powerball drawing is the only drawing game that occurs in a
different location, since it's part of the multi-state lottery system. This
drawing takes place in Tallahassee, Florida, at the Florida Lottery's
headquarters. For this larger-scale game, the drawing is at 9:59 p.m. Central
Standard Time.
Club Lotteaux is a free membership club that you can join to improve
your playing experience. Once you sign up, the official Louisiana Lottery
website sends the winning numbers to your email inbox after any drawing that
occurs. These timely updates help you learn whether you won a portion of the
most recent drawing. As a member of Club Lotteaux, you can also participate in
optional surveys. When you provide your opinion on the various lottery games in
these surveys, you can win free merchandise.
Other benefits of being a member of Club Lotteaux are alerts for
new games and promotions and eligibility for members-only contests. As long as
you're 21 years old and a resident of Louisiana, you can sign up for Club
Lotteaux online. Once you do so, you can confirm your membership via a link
you'll find in your email inbox.
No, as your information becomes part of Louisiana's public record.
If you win a prize that's more than $600, you have to visit the Louisiana
Lottery office to claim your prize. While you're here, you have to fill out a
claim form that aids with filing taxes. The public can request any information
regarding winnings, as all records that relate to prize payment are open rather
than closed. While you don't have to disclose your winnings, the public may find
out depending on the amount of media interest.
The Louisiana Lottery's statute allows news outlets to use the
winners' names and cities of residence for news releases and other publicity
causes. The Louisiana Lottery strives to not use winners' personal information
in advertisements that promote products or otherwise generate profits. However,
winners can participate in these advertorial campaigns if they want to do so.
Yes, you must pay taxes on the money you win through the Louisiana
Lottery if the prize amount is eligible. All players who win more than $600
will receive a gambling income statement when they cash in their prize. The
Louisiana Lottery reports all prizes they distribute that are greater than $600
to both the Louisiana Department of Revenue and Taxation and the Internal
Revenue Service.
Because of this reporting, it's essential to file your federal and
state income taxes correctly with the W-2G form. If you win a prize that's
greater than $5,000, the Louisiana Lottery automatically withholds 5% in state
taxes and 25% in federal taxes.
The odds of winning the Louisiana Lottery depend on what game you
play. For example, there's a 1-in-34.4 chance that you'll win a prize when
you play the Lotto draw game. The odds of winning the entire jackpot on this
game increase to 1-in-5,245,786. You have better odds with different games,
like a 1-in-8 chance of winning a prize when you play the Easy 5 draw game and
a 1-in-435,897 chance at the jackpot prize.
Most scratch-off tickets have odds between a 1-in-3 and a 1-in-5
chance of winning some prize. The more costly scratch-off tickets tend to have
better odds than the cheaper ones.
You can claim a prize that's $600 or less at a licensed lottery
retailer in Louisiana. If you won a larger prize that's under $501,000, you can
claim it at any lottery office as long as it's not a jackpot prize. You may
also claim your prize by mail. You can sign your ticket, fill out a claim form,
and mail these two elements to the following address:
Louisiana Lottery Corporation
Attn: Prize Validations
P.O. Box 90010
Baton Rouge, LA 70879
If you win a Lotto or Powerball prize that exceeds $501,000, you
must visit the Louisiana Lottery's headquarters to claim the prize.
Some players purchase Louisiana Lottery tickets that have multiple
games. If you win a sum of money during a drawing, you don't have to wait for
the other drawings on your ticket to occur. You can cash in your ticket and
collect your winnings from the already-announced drawing. In addition to your
prize, you'll receive an exchange ticket that contains information about your
remaining drawings.
If you win any Louisiana-based draw game, you have 180 days to
claim your prize. The claim period for a scratch-off ticket or a Fast Play
ticket is a little shorter, as you only have 90 days to claim your prize. If
you win a multi-state Powerball prize, you have 60 days to claim your prize.
No. Louisiana state law prevents the online sale of lottery
tickets. If you see any Louisiana Lottery tickets for sale on the internet,
they aren't legal. You may only purchase Louisiana Lottery tickets through
licensed retailers. There are about 2,900 businesses in Louisiana that have the
authorization to sell lottery tickets. These businesses include grocery stores,
gas stations, and convenience stores.
Do you have further questions about the Louisiana Lottery and how
it works? Contact the experts at Lottery Current to learn more.
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