How Long Do You Have to Claim Mega Millions

Did you recently find yourself a winner of a significant Mega Millions prize? Woo-hoo! Are you doing a happy dance? No? Well, get dancing, and picture us with you! If you won the grand prize, congratulations! You beat the one in 302 million odds.

And now that you’ve won, there are several things to think about when it comes to claiming your prize. One of the biggest questions you probably have?

How long do you have to claim the Mega Millions prize?

Timeline for Claiming Mega Millions Winnings

The answer to the question of how long you have to claim Mega Millions is this: It varies by state. That’s why it’s important to check drawing results promptly and be aware of the deadlines to claim your prize based on your location. (Psst: When you order your ticket with Jackpocket, we notify you automatically if you win!)

Check out our handy list below to see your state’s Mega Millions claim time limit:

A breakdown of Mega Millions claim deadlines by state
State	Length of time to claim your prize after the drawing
Arizona*	180 days
Arkansas*	180 days
California	180 days
Colorado*	180 days
Connecticut	180 days
Delaware	One year
District of Columbia*	180 days
Florida	180 days
Georgia	180 days
Idaho*	180 days
Illinois	One year
Indiana	180 days
Iowa	90 days
Kansas	One year
Kentucky	180 days
Louisiana	180 days
Maine	One year
Maryland	182 days
Massachusetts*	One year
Michigan	One year
Minnesota*	One year
Mississippi	180 days
Missouri	180 days
Montana*	Six months
Nebraska*	180 days
New Hampshire*	One year
New Jersey*	One year
New Mexico*	90 days
New York*	One year
North Carolina	180 days
North Dakota	180 days
Ohio*	180 days
Oklahoma	180 days
Oregon*	60 days
Pennsylvania	One year
Rhode Island	One year
South Carolina	90 days
South Dakota	180 days
Tennessee	180 days
Texas*	180 days
Vermont	One year
Virginia	180 days
Virgin Islands	Six months
Washington	180 days
West Virginia*	180 days
Wisconsin	180 days
Wyoming	180 days

*Jackpocket states

Now that you know the time limit for how long to collect Mega Millions winnings, what else do you need to know about winning a top prize in Mega Millions?

What else you should know about your Mega Millions Prize

Timeline for Claiming Mega Millions Winnings — If your prize is large enough, you will need to decide whether to take the estimated value of the prize all at once or split the payments up over time.

So you learned how to play the Mega Millions. Luck has shined down upon you, and the top prize is nearly yours. But there is one significant decision to make before you turn in your ticket:

Cash or Annuity?

If your prize is large enough, you will need to decide whether to take the estimated value of the prize all at once or split the payments up over time.

With the annuity option, one payment is received immediately, and then the winner receives 29 additional annual payments until the entire prize has been paid out. This is a great way to spread payments over the lifetime of the winner.

The cash option provides an estimated value over the annuity option, and the entire prize is paid out at once. This is a highly popular option as people want their winnings as soon as possible and don’t necessarily want to wait for additional funds to be provided in the future.

While you’re excited to claim your prize, you have time to get everything in order. Take the time to consult with professionals who can help you figure out the details.

pick mega million numbers — Jackpocket makes ordering your lottery tickets easy!

FAQs

You won! But, you live in a different state from where you got your lottery ticket. Now what?

If the state where you ordered your lottery ticket is different from your home state, you will need to return to the state where you ordered your ticket to claim your prize.

Where do I check the time limit to claim my prize for my state (or the state where I got my ticket)?

You can always find the length of time you have to claim your prize (in person or by mail) on the state’s lottery website for the state where you got your ticket. You can also contact the state lottery’s customer service line or visit a local lottery retailer for more details.

When will you get the prize after you’ve won the Mega Millions?

For many prizes, don’t expect to walk in the door of your local lottery commission and walk out with a check. Many lotteries take a few weeks to validate and process your ticket and will send a check to you. Depending on your state and the amount won, you can claim your winnings by mail, or you may need to visit a lottery location in person. See your state lottery website for more information.

Can you keep your name out of it if you’ve won the Mega Millions?

Many people, especially really big winners, might want to claim their winnings anonymously. Whether or not you can depends on your state. Your state lottery website will have all the information about whether or not anonymity is available to you. If nothing else, you can set up a trust and claim the ticket in the name of the trust, which provides some semblance of privacy for claiming your winnings.

Jackpocket makes ordering your lottery tickets easy! When you win, winnings up to the threshold of your state will be deposited automatically into your account. For larger prizes, we will arrange to securely send your ticket to you to claim your prize with the lottery commission.

Take a chance on Jackpocket today, and you could be your state’s next big winner!