Lottery Prize Claim Deadlines by Game & State
Every year, lottery prizes go unclaimed for one avoidable reason: the winner missed the deadline. Here’s how long you have to claim, game by game — and how to make sure you never miss one.
A winning ticket isn’t money until you claim it, and every game has a deadline — usually counted from the drawing date (or the game’s end date for scratch-offs). Miss it and the prize is forfeited. The windows below are the most common for each game; the rules printed on your ticket and your state lottery always control, and multi-state games can differ by where you bought the ticket.
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Scan your ticket freeClaim window by game
| Game | Where | Claim deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Powerball | Multi-state | Varies by state — 90 days to 1 year |
| Mega Millions | Multi-state | Varies by state — 90 days to 1 year |
| Lotto America | Multi-state | Varies by state — 90 days to 1 year |
| Millionaire for Life | Multi-state | Varies by state — 90 days to 1 year |
| Arizona Fantasy 5 | Arizona | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Arizona The Pick | Arizona | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| California Fantasy 5 | California | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| California SuperLotto Plus | California | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Colorado Cash 5 | Colorado | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Colorado Lotto+ | Colorado | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Florida Jackpot Triple Play | Florida | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Florida Lotto | Florida | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Georgia Fantasy 5 | Georgia | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Indiana Hoosier Lotto | Indiana | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Lotto Texas | Texas | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Michigan Classic Lotto 47 | Michigan | 1 year |
| Michigan Fantasy 5 | Michigan | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Missouri Show Me Cash | Missouri | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| New Jersey Pick-6 | New Jersey | 1 year |
| New Mexico Roadrunner Cash | New Mexico | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| New York Lotto | New York | 1 year |
| North Carolina Cash 5 | North Carolina | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Ohio Classic Lotto | Ohio | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Oregon Megabucks | Oregon | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Pennsylvania Match 6 Lotto | Pennsylvania | 1 year |
| South Carolina Palmetto Cash 5 | South Carolina | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| South Dakota Dakota Cash | South Dakota | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Tennessee Cash | Tennessee | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Texas Two Step | Texas | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Virginia Cash 5 | Virginia | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Washington Lotto | Washington | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| West Virginia Cash 25 | West Virginia | 180 days (≈6 months) |
| Wisconsin Megabucks | Wisconsin | 180 days (≈6 months) |
How claim deadlines work
- Draw games are counted from the drawing date — typically 90 days to one year depending on state and game.
- Scratch-offs are usually counted from the date the game officially ends, not when you bought the ticket, so check the state’s “last day to claim” list.
- Multi-state games (Powerball, Mega Millions) follow the deadline of the state where the ticket was purchased — often 180 days to one year.
- Sign the ticket and verify early. A lottery ticket is a bearer instrument; treat a potential winner like cash and confirm it through your state lottery well before the deadline.
Want the per-state tax and deadline view too? See how to claim lottery winnings, state by state, see how much goes unclaimed by state every year, estimate your take-home with the lottery tax calculator, or check tonight’s winning numbers.
Always verify your results through official lottery channels before claiming any prize. WonYet is not affiliated with Powerball, Mega Millions, or any state lottery organization.