In every state, it's $599 and less that can be claimed at a store.  In all states, prizes $600 or greater must be claimed at a lottery center.  It has something to do with federal reporting requirements.  Althought they don't withhold federal taxes until it gets to $5000 or more, I believe they report all wins $600 and greater to the IRS.

Bottom line is that you cannot claim a $600 prize at a store.  If you feel that statement is incorrect, please point me to the government Web site (or other official site) that states differently.

Todd,

It seems Missouri lottery has contradicted itself. On the website it says the following about claiming prizes:

Claims $599 And Under
Missouri Lottery retailers may be able to redeem prizes up to $599 (pending the store's cash balances for that day). You can also claim your prize in person at any of the Lottery's color=#0000ffoffice locations.

Claims $600 And Above
Prizes from $600 to $25,000 can be paid the same day of the claim at any Lottery color=#0000ffoffice, but it takes approximately two weeks to redeem prizes more than $25,000. For any prize of $600 and above, you must submit an official Missouri Lottery winner color=#0000ffclaim form with your winning ticket. It is also your responsibility to complete color=#0000ffIRS Form W-9 - Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification. This form is required for any taxable winnings of $600 or more.

Claim Prizes By Mail
Any Lottery prize may be claimed by mail. Your name, address, telephone number and signature must be on the back of the ticket. If the prize is $600 or more, be sure to include the color=#0000ffclaim form. In addition to the claim form, it is your responsibility to complete color=#0000ffIRS Form W-9 - Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification for any taxable winnings $600 and above.

When on the back of the pick 3 slip it says:

How to claim your prize

1) Claim winning tickets up to and including $600 at any on-line retailer location.

2) Claim winning tickets over $600 at missouri lottery redemption centers or mail you ticket with a completed claim form. A claim form must accompany winning tickets over $600.

Makes you wonder which is true. Since I haven't won $600 at one time I don't know.

I'm sure the Lottery officials have undercover operatives that have this forum under surveilance!   So I bet if this is true, they will get rid of this loophole real fast! I cant believe anybody would be so stupid as to tell the newspaper about his secret. What a fool, he ruined it for himself and everybody else!   And the same thing will happen if anybody else on these forums has a real system and they post it on this website and tell the world about it! His ego was so big he wanted to show off to the world how he beat the lottery.   The lottery will change the games and make them more difficult to win! Because most people who play are so addicted they will play no matter how hard the odds are.

Quote: Originally posted by Joy2 on August 09, 2004

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I'm sure the Lottery officials have undercover operatives that have this forum under surveilance!   So I bet if this is true, they will get rid of this loophole real fast! I cant believe anybody would be so stupid as to tell the newspaper about his secret. What a fool, he ruined it for himself and everybody else!   And the same thing will happen if anybody else on these forums has a real system and they post it on this website and tell the world about it! His ego was so big he wanted to show off to the world how he beat the lottery.   The lottery will change the games and make them more difficult to win! Because most people who play are so addicted they will play no matter how hard the odds are.

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Best Picks,

The Web site is correct.  It sounds like a misprint on the betslip, if that's what it says.  The $600 rule is something that all states follow.

Oneday,

If that were true, I wouldn't have won so many times with Lucky's picks!

Hey Todd, I just had a thou

How do I claim my prize?

Winners of prizes of $600 or less can collect directly from any Lottery retailer. If you've won more (and wouldn't that be nice) you are required to fill out a color=#0000ffclaim form. The color=#0000ffclaim form can be filed with any retailer or mailed to the Illinois Lottery in Springfield. You'll receive a check within four to six weeks. Of course, we recommend winners of large prizes to mail their color=#0000ffclaim forms via guaranteed mail -- that form is worth a lot, you know. The Lottery operates seven regional color=#0000ffCheck Writing Centers Reminder! When you visit a Check Writing Center to file a claim, you need to bring a photo ID AND some means of verifying your Social Security Number

Last week I ask one of

Quote: O

1. 
   
2. I think the Illinois Web site is a misprint
3. 
   
4. I think the MO betslips are a misprint, and their Web site is correct.

Who wants to write to the lotteries to see if that's correct?

Roy, I didn't post that day at all. I don't always have the time to post. If you look my postings are very sporadic. That is the only time I have played midday. And it was only because I knew their would be two drawings for midday.  And it worked out for me.

Todd, I'll try to have more info tomorrow. Then we won't have to guess what is right and wrong...

In Ky it is 600.00.  If u win more than that on 1 ticket, you WILL pay federal taxes on the win.  I know because we had to pay Federal taxes on $1200.00 because my husband played a number $2.00 straight.  However, u do get to subtract your losses.

  Hey, I've been visiting the site for awhile, finally joined so I can respond on this.  The article in the St. Louis Post- Dispatch has a photo showing the store director congratulating the guy with two of his friends in the background and the caption saying he picked up more than $16,000 cash at the store. You can read it and see the photo at the Post-Dispatch web site (www.stltoday.com) . I'm new at this so I have no clue on how to make a link. The story ran on Saturday Aug. 7 so click on story search, keyword type in lottery, for that date. The guy showed up at the store Thursday to collect and was told the store didn't have the money, so after calls to the lottery and the Dierberg's main office they arranged for a special delivery from the bank on Friday when this guy shows up with his friends and the reporter. The lottery even has a claims office about a mile from this store, and the article doesn't say where he collected the rest from.

    Even if he managed to not get any taxes withheld, he did put his name and face on the only daily paper in the largest city in Missouri, so anybody from the state department of revenue or the IRS could probably find him. I just looked and there's a Ken Seidel in SBC's white pages. I just wonder if he was dumb enough to claim all the tickets himself or the friends did it equally.

I wrote to Mary Nubauer of the Iowa Lottery a few weeks ago and she said you can cash a 600 dollar winner at the store without filling the forms.