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Play Information
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| Q: |
What is the legal age to purchase/redeem Arizona Lottery tickets? |
| A: |
You must be 21 years or older to purchase or redeem tickets. (A.R.S. §5-515 and A.R.S. §5-520) |
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| Q: |
Can I buy Arizona Lottery tickets by phone, mail, or on the Internet? |
| A: |
The Arizona Lottery does not sell tickets over the phone, by mail, or on the Internet. |
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| Q: |
What Lottery retailers are closest to neighboring states? |
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Utah Border/Highway 89A/Fredonia, AZ:
Judd Auto Service - 623 S. Main St., 928.643.7107;
Buckskin Tavern - Hwy. 89A - 928.643.7094;
Las Vegas/Nevada Border:
Hoover Dam area - Boulder Inn - Mile Post 28, Hwy. 93 - 928.767.3348;
Mile Marker 27 - Mile Post 27, Hwy. 93 - 928.767.9405
Littlefield, AZ - Beaver Dam Station - Hwy. 91 exit on I-15 - 928. 347.5492;
Kingman, AZ - Westside Chevron - 1224 W. Beale St., - 928.753.1333;
Bullhead City - Woody's Food Store - 600 Highway 95 - 928. 754.4060;
California Border - Needles:
Mohave Valley
Superstop - 10485 Barrackman Road - 928.768.7577;
Best Buy Market - 8892 Hwy. 95 - 928.788.3325;
California Border - Parker Dam:
Parker
Mac's Market - 3303 Riverside Dr. -
928.667.2231;
Little Brown Jug - 900 S. California Ave. - 928. 669.8284;
California Border - Blythe:
Ehrenberg
E-Z Mart - 49998 Parker/Poston Hwy. - 928.923.9110;
River Lagoon Resort - 50078 Ehrenberg/Parker Hwy. - 928.923.7942;
California Border - Winterhaven:
Yuma - Circle K - 379 W. 1st St. - 928.782.6745.
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Game Information
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| Q: |
What states/jurisdictions participate in Powerball? |
| A: |
Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Washington D.C., Wisconsin, and West Virginia. |
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| Q: |
Has anyone from Arizona ever won the Powerball? |
| A: |
Yes. Since Arizona joined Powerball April 4, 1994, the state has sold nine jackpot tickets:
April 27, 1994 - $5.2 million;
March 4, 1995 - $101 million;
August 12, 1995 - $77 million;
November 16, 1996 - $22 million;
April 15, 2001 - $83.9 million;
January 26, 2002 - $95.3 million;
December 22, 2004 - $10.3 million; November 1, 2006 - $47.5 million and January 27, 2007 - $15 million; .
The number of winning tickets is proportional to Arizona’s population when compared to that of other Powerball states. |
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| Q: |
How long does it take for The Pick jackpot to get above $1 million? |
| A: |
The jackpot amount is guaranteed to be $1 million. The $1 million is the annuitized value of the jackpot; the cash amount is approximately $500,000. In order for the jackpot to increase, sales need to reach and then exceed $500,000. Typically, it takes approximately six drawings for this to happen. Therefore, until sales are high enough to increase the jackpot estimate, we advertise it at $1 million. |
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| Q: |
How many advance draws can you play on each game? |
| A: |
You can play up to 10 consecutive draws for Powerball and The Pick and 12 consecutive draws for Pick 5 and Pick 3. |
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| Q: |
If game odds are 1 in 4, why don't I win when I buy 5 consecutive Scratchers? |
| A: |
Like other Lottery games, Scratchers is a random game of chance, and winning tickets are not predetermined. When the tickets are printed, the winning tickets are randomly distributed among all available tickets. In addition, the tickets are then distributed throughout the state to more than 2,500 retail locations.
The fact that overall odds of a Scratchers game are 1 in 4 does not guarantee every fourth ticket will be a winner. The odds are based on the number of winning tickets out of the total number of tickets printed. It is therefore possible that sequential winning or non-winning tickets could occur. |
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| Q: |
Why aren’t the winning numbers on your website regularly updated? |
| A: |
The winning numbers are updated every night. If you are getting winning numbers that aren’t updated, click on your “refresh” or “reload” button. Clicking on this button should show you the current winning numbers. |
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Claiming Your Prize Information
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| Q: |
How long do I have to claim/redeem a winning ticket? |
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For on-line games (Powerball, The Pick, Pick 5, and Pick 3), the ending date is 180 days from the drawing. Scratchers can be redeemed up to 180 days from the announced game-ending date. When a game ends, the information is available on our website on the “Scratchers Ending Dates” chart. |
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| Q: |
What is the difference between cash and annuity? |
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The cash value is approximately one-half the advertised value of the jackpot and is given to the winner in one lump sum.
The winner who selects the annuity is paid in equal payments annually for 30 years for The Pick and in graduated annual payments over 30 years for Powerball.
The person who wins the jackpot has the option to choose either the cash or annuity option. The winner has 60 days from the claim date (the date the ticket is presented for validation) in which to make the decision.
If the winner chooses cash, the Lottery will issue a check when the ticket is validated. In order to secure the payment process, the Lottery purchases annuities from private companies. Each year, the Lottery prepares and issues a Request for Proposals to solicit the interest of various insurance companies. Companies that qualify through the evaluation process are asked to bid on the annuity payment after each winning jackpot. The company submitting the highest payment offer is selected and will issue the remaining annuity checks.
The Arizona Lottery is frequently asked whether players should choose cash or annuity. We can only suggest that financial issues be discussed with a lawyer, CPA, or financial planner. |
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| Q: |
What happens if an annuity winner dies before the last payment? |
| A: |
You can, and should, name a beneficiary when you claim your jackpot prize. The prize is the winner’s property and is considered part of the winner’s estate. If a beneficiary is not designated, the prize will remain part of the winner’s estate. |
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| Q: |
If I win the jackpot, do I have the option of remaining anonymous? |
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Upon request, the Arizona Lottery is required to release the winner’s name, city of residence, game, and amount won. A press release will be sent out to the media when the winner has collected the prize. However, Arizona Lottery jackpot winners are given the option of participating in or declining a press conference and/or publicity. We believe a press conference enhances the winning experience, and it usually eliminates receiving multiple calls from the media. |
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| Q: |
What happens if I lose a winning ticket? |
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Losing a Lottery ticket is like losing cash. Protect yourself by signing the back of your ticket and filling in your address. Unless signed, anyone who has the ticket can file a claim. The Arizona Lottery is not responsible for lost or stolen tickets. |
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| Q: |
How do I collect a prize worth $600 or more? |
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Prizes of $600 or more must be claimed at an Arizona Lottery office Monday through Friday (except holidays) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
You can also collect your winnings by mail. To claim by mail, sign and complete the back of your winning ticket and Winner Claim Form. You must also provide a copy of a governmental identification document that includes your mailing address and signature (such as a driver's license or citizenship/residency card). You should retain a copy of both the claim form and both sides of the ticket for your records. Send the original winning ticket, the claim form, and a copy of your identification to: Arizona Lottery, P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062-2913.
Click here for a PDF of the Winner Claim Form. |
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Tax Information
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| Q: |
Do I have to pay taxes on Arizona Lottery winnings? |
| A: |
For any Arizona Lottery prize valued over $5,000, the Arizona Lottery is required by law to withhold 25% for federal taxes and 5% for Arizona state income taxes for U.S. citizens or resident aliens. For non-resident aliens, the withholding tax is 30% federal and 6% state. Winners may be liable for more or less taxes when they report winnings to the IRS. You may wish to consult with a tax advisor regarding tax obligations. |
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| Q: |
What are the Arizona Lottery’s Tax Identification Numbers for tax purposes? |
| A: |
The federal tax filing number is 86-0411543; the state tax filing number is 80353200Z. |
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Game Security
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| Q: |
What is the on-line drawing process? |
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The digital drawing system is in a secure room, locked and sealed with a steel crimp. A delicate, paper tamper-proof seal with a control number is placed over the steel crimp.
Two Lottery employees (the drawing manager and the auditor list representative) report to the computer room at least 1 1/2 hours prior to the official drawing. Only Lottery officials are allowed access into the room where the drawing equipment is maintained.
The drawing officials randomly select the number of pre-drawing tests to be conducted that evening. They usually conduct one to four pre-drawing tests according to policy compliance.
At approximately 9:30 p.m., Arizona Lottery Information Technology staff alerts the drawing manager to proceed with the drawing.
After the drawing, the digital drawing system is locked and sealed, and all drawing equipment is secured. A drawing record is completed after each drawing that includes
the names of staff who are present, the digital drawing system and selection device used, the pre-drawing test numbers selected, and the official drawing numbers selected.
Drawing results are audited by an independent auditing firm.
Members of the public are invited to view the procedures. The official procedures are available upon request.
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