Carolyn Becker, one of the renowned California lottery spokespersons has revealed some of the rules that the winners of the lottery mega millions powerball jackpot must adhere to. Let’s say you have hit the jackpot, and there’s no denying the fact that it can be a life-changing experience for many. There; ‘s no better feeling than being someone to defy the 1 in 300 million odds of snagging the lucky ticket. However, there are plenty of other things to do before you go to claim the prize.
Apparently, these lottery games have been a tit-for-tat lately for the soaring prize purse. For example, just a couple of weeks ago, someone won the lottery mega millions Powerball jackpot of 1.8 billion USD. So, there are plenty of things one must keep in mind for the winners. If you are a winner of a jackpot, then you should follow the rules properly. For example, California spokespersons have revealed that some lottery winners are allowed to retain a degree of anonymity while claiming the prize. Other than that, there are a few other rules as well that we will discuss in this article.
The Winners Must Come Forward With Their Winning Ticket Personally
If there’s a person who feels that they have become the winner of a lottery mega millions powerball jackpot, then they must come forward personally with the ticket. Becker has mentioned that it’s up to the lottery player to figure out that they own the winning ticket. Moreover, she also added that the gaming system captures the winning combination.
“That’s no secret. The Store that sold a winning ticket is very public, very obvious, but we have no way of knowing who won it.”
As such, it’s important for the winner to come personally with the winning ticket. Otherwise, it can be a very difficult situation to hand over the prize money.
Winners Must Claim their Prize In The Same State In Which They Bought The Winning Ticket
Lottery mega millions powerball jackpot tickets are usually sold from lottery retailers and agents in around 45 states, according to the official website of the Mega Millions. However, one should note that the winning tickets have to be redeemed in the state from where they were purchased.
In other words, let’s say you have purchased a ticket from Florida, then you have to claim the prize in Florida. Moreover, the winners will also get two options on how they would like to redeem the Mega Million cash prize. For example, they can either cash in the winning ticket at a local lottery retail store, or they can also claim it via mail.
However, Becker has gone on to reveal the risk factor if one wishes to send the lottery ticket combination via mail as it requires immense trust on the part of the winner. It’s quite the same for the Powerball as well. Just like lottery mega millions powerball jackpot, Powerball games also follow the same rule.
They Must Claim The Prize Within a Certain Number of Days
So, according to Becker, the winners of the lottery ticket must try to claim the prize as soon as they can. In fact, the claim period varies from Mega Millions to Powerballs. For example, the expiry date of a ticket ranges from 90 days to one year as well, depending on the selling jurisdiction. Often you will see the expiry date written on the back of the ticket. If they don’t claim it within a particular time, the prize money will be forfeited.
Winners Must Choose How They’d Like To Claim The Prize
As mentioned earlier, the winners of lottery mega millions powerball jackpots have the choice to tell how they would want to claim their winning prize. They can either receive the prize in 30 annual payments or even a one-time full cash amount as payment.
The Winners Must Share The Prize Money If There Are Multiple Winners
Lottery mega millions powerball jackpot winners have to share their prize money if there are multiple winners. This is the reason why Becker has also gone on to say how they encourage people to play as a group.
Jackpot Winners Must Pay A Certain Percentage In Tax
The winners of the Jackpot have to pay a percentage of the money in Tax. In fact, it’s true that all the Mega Million prizes are subject to income taxes, and that’s why it’s pivotal to pay the required amount as soon as you can.
Jackpot Winners Have To Go Through An Interview Process After Claiming
So, if a player wins the Lottery mega millions powerball jackpot prize, they must also go through a certain interview process when they go to claim the grand cash prize. Becker said, “It’s important for us to have a very standard process in place where big winners are interviewed. We actually have security and law enforcement officers on our staff. They interview big winners.”
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