How to Claim South Carolina (SC)
Lottery Prizes
Claim a South Carolina Lottery prize $500 or less at any retailer or the Columbia Claims Center and over $500 at the Columbia Claims Center, within 180 days of the drawing. Prizes up to $100,000 can be claimed by mail.
Where to Claim Your South Carolina Lottery Prize
Won? You have 180 days to cash it in.
Where to Cash a Winning Ticket
Where you can cash a South Carolina Lottery prize depends on how much it is.
- Up to $500Signed ticket at a store
- Any lottery retailer
- Columbia Claims Center
- By mail
- $501–$100KClaim form and ID
- Columbia Claims Center
- By mail
- Over $100KClaim form and ID
- Columbia Claims Center
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Play scratch-offs too?Up to x20.9 better jackpot odds
For $50K to $1M+ jackpots on the best South Carolina scratch-offs. ScratchOdds ranks all 35 by today's odds.
For $50K to $1M+ jackpots on the best South Carolina scratch-offs.
Get the Free AppSee the Best Ones
Good to Know
Claim deadline
180 days after the drawing
Take a jackpot's cash option within 60 days of claiming the prize.
When you're paid
Retailers pay prizes up to $500 when they validate the ticket, in cash, a store check or a money order.
Claim by mail
Up to $100,000
SC Education Lottery, P.O. Box 11039, Columbia, SC 29211-1039
Taxes on winnings
24% federal withheld over $5,000
State tax up to 5.21%; 5.21% withheld over $500. See your take-home
Can you stay anonymous?
Yes
South Carolina Lottery Claim Forms
Over $500, bring your signed ticket, ID and a completed claim form.
Full checklist (4 items)
- The original winning ticket, signed on the back
- For a prize over $500, a completed and signed claim form, from sceducationlottery.com or any lottery retailer
- For a prize over $500, a photo ID that shows your date of birth, such as a driver's license, state or military ID, passport or permanent resident card. Send a copy if you claim by mail
- For a group win, IRS Form 5754 listing everyone who shares the prize
Columbia Claims Center
Bring your ticket, claim form and ID.
Columbia Claims Center
1303 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM–5:00 PMPhone: 803-253-4004
More Claim Rules
- Debts owed to the state
- Before paying a prize of $5,000 or more, the lottery checks for debts owed to the state or a local agency, such as taxes, child support or student loans, and pays those out of the prize first. You have 30 days to protest in writing.
- Staying anonymous
- South Carolina law keeps a winner's name, address, phone number, birth date and Social Security number from being released without the winner's written consent. The lottery can still release the claim and draw dates, the game, the prize, the store that sold the ticket and the winner's hometown.
- Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots
- A Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot winner chooses cash or yearly payments after filing the claim. A winner who doesn't choose within 60 days gets yearly payments, and the choice can't be changed once made.
- Tickets for several drawings
- If a multi-draw ticket wins before its last drawing, a reissued ticket for the drawings left is printed when you cash it. Make sure you get it.
- Group wins
- The lottery issues one check per winning ticket. One member of a group files the claim, and the group fills in IRS Form 5754 to say how the prize is shared, so each member gets their own tax form.
- Retailers
- Retailers must pay prizes up to $500, in cash, a store check or a money order, and can't charge a fee or make you buy something with your winnings.
- Claiming by mail
- Send a mailed claim by registered mail, and keep a photocopy of both sides of the signed ticket. The risk of loss in the mail is yours.
- Tickets bought in South Carolina
- You don't have to live in South Carolina to play, but tickets must be bought and prizes claimed in South Carolina.
Reviewed by Bishop Woosley, former Director of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and NASPL President.
You can't change the lottery's odds.
You can pick better scratch-offs.
The best South Carolina scratch-offs right now have up to x20.9 better jackpot odds for $50K to $1M+ jackpots.
Every South Carolina scratch-off ranked by today's odds- The best tickets for your budget and the prize you want
- A free app, built on official South Carolina Lottery data
More South Carolina Lottery Help
Check your numbers, the best scratch-offs, and claiming in other states.
South Carolina Scratch-Offs
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about the South Carolina Lottery
Where can I claim lottery winnings in South Carolina?
$500 or less: Any lottery retailer, Columbia Claims Center or by mail. Over $500 to $100,000: Columbia Claims Center or by mail. Over $100,000: Columbia Claims Center.
Where can I cash a $1,000 lottery ticket in South Carolina?
Not at a store: South Carolina Lottery retailers pay prizes up to $500. Over $500 to $100,000: Columbia Claims Center or by mail.
What time can you cash lottery tickets in South Carolina?
Any South Carolina Lottery retailer cashes prizes up to $500 whenever it's open. The Columbia Claims Center is open Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM.
What should I do if I win the South Carolina Lottery?
Sign your ticket and keep it safe, then claim it within 180 days of the drawing. $500 or less: Any lottery retailer, Columbia Claims Center or by mail. Over $500 to $100,000: Columbia Claims Center or by mail. Over $100,000: Columbia Claims Center. Over $500, bring your signed ticket, ID and a completed claim form.
How long do you have to claim a South Carolina Lottery prize?
180 days after the drawing. A jackpot's cash option must be chosen within 60 days of claiming the prize.
Do South Carolina Lottery tickets expire?
Yes. A winning ticket must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing, or the prize can no longer be paid.
What do I need to claim a South Carolina Lottery prize?
At a store, a prize up to $500 needs just the signed ticket. Over $500: The original winning ticket, signed on the back; For a prize over $500, a completed and signed claim form, from sceducationlottery.com or any lottery retailer; For a prize over $500, a photo ID that shows your date of birth, such as a driver's license, state or military ID, passport or permanent resident card. Send a copy if you claim by mail; For a group win, IRS Form 5754 listing everyone who shares the prize.
Can I claim a South Carolina Lottery prize by mail?
Yes, prizes up to $100,000. Mail the signed ticket, with any copies the South Carolina Lottery asks for, to SC Education Lottery, P.O. Box 11039, Columbia, SC 29211-1039. Prizes over $500 also need a completed claim form.
How long does it take to get South Carolina Lottery winnings?
Retailers pay prizes up to $500 when they validate the ticket, in cash, a store check or a money order. The Columbia Claims Center pays larger prizes by check: arrive by 4 p.m. so there's time to verify the ticket. The lottery doesn't say how long mailed claims take.
Can you claim lottery winnings anonymously in South Carolina?
Yes.
Can I claim a South Carolina Lottery prize online?
No. Claim in person or by mail.
What is the South Carolina Lottery phone number?
866-736-9819 for customer service. Columbia Claims Center: 803-253-4004.
Where can I claim a South Carolina Lottery prize in person?
The Columbia Claims Center is at 1303 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201, open Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM. Call 803-253-4004.
Are lottery winnings taxed in South Carolina?
South Carolina taxes lottery winnings at up to 5.21%, and federal income tax applies too. 5.21% state tax is withheld from prizes over $500, plus 24% federal tax from prizes over $5,000.
Still have questions? Email our support team
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