Pennsylvania Powerball Rules
Visit any licensed retailer in Pennsylvania to fill out a Powerball playslip. You can choose your own numbers or opt for a Quick Pick to receive a random line. The following state-specific rules also apply in the Keystone State:
- You must be at least 18 years of age to play Powerball.
- You can enter up to 20 consecutive drawings in advance.
- Double Play is available in Pennsylvania. It costs an additional $1 to take part.
- Tickets can be purchased up to 9:59pm ET on the night of each drawing, with sales reopening for the following draw shortly after the winning numbers have been confirmed.
- The state will withhold a 3.07 percent tax on your winnings.
You can also watch the Powerball drawing live in Pennsylvania by tuning into one of the stations below:
| City | Station | Affiliate | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie | WJET | NBC | 24 |
| Harrisburg | WGAL | CBS | 8 |
| Johnstown/Altoona | WTAJ | FOX | Oct-32 |
| Philadelphia | WTXF | NBC | 29 |
| Pittsburgh | WPXI | ABC | 11 |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | WNEP | CBS | 16 |
How to Claim Prizes
Prizes worth up to and including $2,500 can be claimed from any licensed retailer in Pennsylvania. If a retailer does not have sufficient cash on the premises to complete the payout, you may have to claim from a different location. When claiming a prize worth more than $600, you will need to fill out a claim form, available from lottery retailers or area offices.
Winnings of $2,501 or above can be claimed by mailing your signed ticket and a completed claim form to one of the addresses below. If claiming from out of state, it is best to send your ticket and form to the Middletown address to ensure it is processed as quickly as possible.
| Location | Address |
|---|---|
| Harrisburg | Claims Department Pennsylvania Lottery PO Box 8671 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8671 |
| Middletown | Pennsylvania Lottery Attn: Claims 1200 Fulling Mill Road, Suite 1 Middletown, PA 17057 |
Powerball jackpot prizes must be claimed in person from the Pennsylvania Lottery headquarters in Middletown. You will receive your prize money four to six weeks after you file your claim.
Claiming as a Lottery Pool
The Pennsylvania Lottery allows Powerball jackpots to be claimed jointly. One member of your lottery pool needs to sign the back of the ticket and fill out a claim form, indicating that the prize is being claimed by a group. That person must then attach a separate sheet to the claim form, listing the names, addresses, and social security numbers of each claimant. For tax reporting purposes, each member must also complete an IRS-5754 form to be sent with the winning ticket and the claim form. These are obtainable from the website of the Internal Revenue Service. Finally, you must inform the lottery if you wish for individual checks to be mailed to each group member.
Claim Period
You have one year from the date of the drawing to come forward and claim your prize. If you don’t claim your winnings before this deadline, the prize amount remains in the lottery fund.
Lost and Damaged Tickets
Lottery tickets are regarded as bearer instruments. This means whoever is in possession of a winning ticket can claim a prize with it. You are advised to sign the back of your ticket to make it easier to prove you are its rightful owner in the event of its loss. If your ticket is stolen, you should inform the Pennsylvania Lottery’s Division of Security on 717-702-8026. Prizes may not be paid out if tickets are too damaged to be validated.
Going Public
You cannot claim prizes anonymously in Pennsylvania. Under the state’s Right-to-Know law, certain information about you, such as your name, place of residence, and prize amount, will be disclosed to the public. Other information, such as your address, telephone number, and social security number will always remain confidential. You are not required to engage in publicity after you win, but the lottery may ask for a statement to release on your behalf.
Where Does the Money Go?
Two-thirds of the Pennsylvania Lottery’s revenue is given back to players in the form of prizes, with another quarter used to benefit the state’s older citizens. The remaining money is used to cover expenses and retailer commissions. The table below shows how lottery revenues are split:
| Area of Spending | Percentage of Revenue |
|---|---|
| Prizes | 67% |
| Benefit Programs | 23% |
| Retailer and Vendor Commissions | 8% |
| Operating Expenses | 2% |
Pennsylvania Powerball Winners
A single ticket from Pennsylvania matched all six numbers to walk away with $457 million on March 17, 2018. The winning line was bought from a Speedway gas station in Lancaster County, bringing a run of 19 consecutive rollovers to an end. The winner claimed their prize through the Emerald Legacy Trust, opting to take the cash option worth $199 million after tax.
A group of 48 employees from SEPTA, Philadelphia, shared a $127 million jackpot on April 25, 2012. Their winning ticket was purchased at The Gallery, Market East. They opted for a $107 million cash lump sum, receiving just over $2 million each. The names of the 48 winners were made public shortly after the drawing, and they included Matt Sheridan, James Lamongelli and Geraldine Gaiser. At 26 years of age, Sheridan was one of the youngest in the group and had only been working at SEPTA for a year. Another winner, Marylou Wagner, spoke of her previous battle with breast cancer, and what the money meant to her. “I battled and beat an aggressive stage-three breast cancer. And I recovered. And returned to work after a long, unpaid absence,” she said.
