Player FAQs

Yes. DC 2, DC 3, DC 4, and DC 5 tickets may be purchased up to seven consecutive days in advance by selecting the day and drawing time you want to play. POWERBALL®, Mega Millions®, and Lucky for Life® tickets may be purchased in advance for 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 consecutive draws.

Day, Evening, and Night drawings can be viewed on the DC Lottery website. Players also have the option of calling the DC Lottery’s Lot-Line at 202-678-3333 for winning numbers. Winning numbers are also posted at DC Lottery retailer locations.

Yes. The drawing process for DC Lottery games is transparent and open to the public for viewing. To schedule, please contact Customer Service at 202-645-8000.

Money generated by the DC Lottery is used for the operation, administration, and capital expenses of the games operated and licensed by the DC Lottery. The majority of the money is transferred to the General Fund for the District of Columbia. More information.

Please visit our claim prize area for instructions on claiming your DC Lottery prize.

In the District of Columbia, specific lottery winner information is public record.

Lottery winnings are payable to the winner's designated beneficiary or estate. In some cases, for the POWERBALL® game, the estate may petition the DC Lottery's Executive Director for the acceleration and lump sum payment of the remaining prize amount at current market value.

All prizes must be claimed within 180 days from the date of the drawing, 180 days from the official close of an instant Scratch ticket game or a lesser period authorized by the Executive Director for bonus games or drawings. Unclaimed prizes are transferred to the General Fund of the District of Columbia.

All lottery winnings are considered income and as such are taxed according to the applicable Federal, District, state and local laws. The lottery cannot estimate your tax responsibility or answer questions about Federal, District, state or local exemptions or tax calculations. You may want to consult a tax professional, government tax office, financial adviser or other appropriate professional for answers to your tax questions.

Federal Taxes

DC Lottery winnings paid to residents of other jurisdictions may be subject to Federal income taxes and to state and local taxes, depending on the requirements of the resident jurisdiction. Lottery winnings of $600 or more are reported to the Internal Revenue Service in accordance with Federal regulations.

For winnings of more than $5,000, the DC Lottery withholds 24 percent of lottery winnings for Federal income taxes. Federal tax withholding rates are subject to change in accordance with Internal Revenue Service regulations.

District Taxes

DC Lottery winnings paid to DC residents may be subject to District of Columbia (District) taxes, depending on winnings. Lottery winnings that exceed $600 are reported to the District Office of Tax and Revenue in accordance with District regulations. For winnings of more than $5,000 the DC Lottery withholds District income taxes in accordance with DC Tax and Revenue regulations and District Law.

Non-District Residents

DC Lottery winnings paid to non-DC residents of more than $5,000 may be subject to Federal income taxes and to state and local taxes depending on the requirements of the resident jurisdiction.

Foreign Persons

DC Lottery winnings paid to a foreign person are subject to 30 percent withholding under sections 1441(a) and 1442(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and are reportable to the Internal Revenue Service.

Possibly. If you owe delinquent child support payments, the DC Lottery may be required to withhold the amount owed. The DC Lottery provides a direct linkage to the District of Columbia Child Support Enforcement Division. Child Support taken from your lottery winnings is for monies owed pursuant to a court order and is not refundable.

If you feel deductions from your winnings were erroneously taken, please contact the DC Child Support Enforcement Division at 202-442-9900.

The DC Lottery issues a W-2G at the same time it issues a check for a lottery winning of $600.00 or more. To obtain an additional copy of your form, please contact us and specify that you would like to request a copy of IRS Form W-2G and the DC Lottery's Office of Financial Services will process your request.

Prizes won on a single DC Lottery ticket are paid to a single legal entity. That entity may be one individual or one organization.

However, there may be more than one jackpot ticket. In those cases, winners share prizes equally.

The DC Lottery is not responsible for lost or stolen tickets. You should sign the back of your ticket in ink and take appropriate measures to safeguard it. Unless signed, anyone in possession of the ticket may file a claim.

Yes, tickets are available for purchase online at DCiLottery.com. Otherwise, tickets are ONLY available for purchase at authorized DC Lottery Agent Locations.

The DC Lottery has at its Prize Center for visually impaired individuals to enter into our 2nd chance drawings. If a player has won, they will be notified directly through the contact information they provided upon entering the drawing.

 Yes. Please click here for more details about using your debit card.