To collect a Wisconsin Lottery prize of $600 or more, you fill out the one-page Wisconsin Lottery Winner Claim Form, sign the back of your original ticket, and send both to the Wisconsin Lottery, either by mail to PO Box 777, Madison, WI 53774, or in person at the Madison or Milwaukee office. Prizes under $600 can be cashed at any retailer without the form; everything at or above that amount runs through the Lottery office.
When the Form Is Required
Retailers can pay winning tickets up to $599 on the spot, though a store may set a lower cap and must post it.1Wisconsin Lottery. Retailer Questions Once your prize hits $600, the Winner Claim Form is the only way to get paid. You can also use the form for a smaller prize if a retailer won’t pay it or you prefer to go through the Lottery directly.
Where you can file depends on how much you won:
- $600 to $199,999: mail the form in, or visit either the Madison or Milwaukee office.
- $200,000 and above: claim in person at the Madison office only. Call 608-261-4916 to schedule.
- Powerball, Mega Millions, or Megabucks jackpots: make an appointment so staff can block out processing time.2Wisconsin Lottery. How to Claim a Prize
Sign the Ticket and Gather Your Documents First
Before you touch the form, sign the back of the ticket in black or blue ink and print your name clearly. An unsigned ticket is a bearer instrument, meaning anyone holding it could try to claim the prize. Only one person signs, even if a group plans to split the winnings.3Wisconsin Lottery. Wisconsin Lottery Winner Claim Form Don’t use white-out and don’t scratch anything off; alterations can void the claim. Only the original physical ticket counts. Photocopies and screenshots don’t.
You’ll also need:
- A government-issued photo ID: driver’s license, state ID, or tribal-issued photo ID. You’ll write the ID number, expiration date, and issuing state or entity on the form.
- Your Social Security Number or ITIN. Non-resident aliens attach a completed IRS Form W-8BEN. For prizes of $600 or more, federal and state law require this information for tax reporting and withholding.3Wisconsin Lottery. Wisconsin Lottery Winner Claim Form
The name on your ID must match the name on the form exactly. Mismatches are one of the fastest ways to stall a claim. Before mailing anything, make a copy of both sides of the signed ticket and the completed form.
Filling Out the Form
The form is available in English, Spanish, and Hmong on wilottery.com, including a fillable PDF you can type into before printing.2Wisconsin Lottery. How to Claim a Prize Each field asks for:
- Legal name (first, middle initial, last, suffix) matching your photo ID.
- Mailing address, including apartment, unit, lot, or trailer number. Your check goes here.
- City, state, and zip.
- Phone number and email for verification or payment questions.
- SSN or ITIN, or an attached W-8BEN for non-resident aliens.
- Date of birth.
- Tax status: U.S. citizen, resident alien, or non-resident alien. Non-resident aliens list their country of citizenship.
- Photo ID number, expiration date, and issuing state or entity.
- Number of tickets enclosed and total dollar amount claimed.
- Whether this is a group claim (yes or no).
- Your signature and date, in black or blue ink.3Wisconsin Lottery. Wisconsin Lottery Winner Claim Form
Submitting by Mail
Send the completed, signed form and the original signed ticket to:
Prizes
PO Box 777
Madison, WI 537742Wisconsin Lottery. How to Claim a Prize
Use certified or registered mail. The Lottery is not responsible for anything lost in transit, and a winning ticket is effectively a bearer document until it reaches their hands.
Submitting in Person
Two walk-in offices accept claims:
- Madison: 2135 Rimrock Road, Madison, WI 53713. Redeems all prize amounts.
- Milwaukee: 819 N. 6th Street, 4th Floor (James Lovell Street entrance), Milwaukee, WI 53203. Redeems prizes up to $199,999 only.4Wisconsin Lottery. Contact Us
Both offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and closed on state holidays. Arrive by 3:30 p.m. for standard claims. If your prize is $50,000 or more, arrive by 2:00 p.m. Prizes of $200,000 or more must be claimed in Madison, with an appointment set up by calling 608-261-4916.3Wisconsin Lottery. Wisconsin Lottery Winner Claim Form
Don’t Miss the Claim Deadline
Lotto draw-game tickets, including Powerball, Mega Millions, and Megabucks, expire 180 days after the drawing date.5Wisconsin Lottery. How Do I Know if My Ticket Is Expired? After that, the prize is forfeited and rolls into the state’s lottery fund. Scratch-off tickets have their own deadlines that vary by game and are set in the official game procedures. If you’re unsure, check the game’s page on wilottery.com or ask a retailer to scan the ticket.
If More Than One Person Is Claiming
Wisconsin law requires a court order to split a lottery prize among multiple claimants. Each person files a separate Winner Claim Form, and the court order must come with the paperwork. Group claims can only be processed at the Madison office. Milwaukee cannot handle them. Payment takes up to two weeks after the Lottery receives the court order, and every member of the group is individually subject to federal and state withholding.6Wisconsin Lottery. Wisconsin Lottery Winner Claim Form The IRS also requires Form 5754 so the W-2G reporting is split correctly among group members.7Internal Revenue Service. About Form 5754, Statement by Person(s) Receiving Gambling Winnings
What Happens After You Submit
Debt Setoff
Before any check goes out, the Department of Revenue checks your name and Social Security number against state records. Under Wisconsin Statute 565.30(5), the Lottery must withhold the amount of any delinquent state taxes, court-ordered child support, or other certified state debts you owe, and send that money to the appropriate agency. The Department also charges the winner for its administrative expenses in processing the setoff. If you owe both delinquent taxes and child support, the deductions are taken proportionally.8Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 565.30 – Lottery
Tax Withholding
For state-conducted lottery prizes over $5,000, federal law requires 24 percent withholding, applied to the entire payout rather than just the amount above $5,000.9eCFR. 26 CFR 31.3402(q)-1 – Extension of Withholding to Certain Gambling Winnings Wisconsin adds 7.65 percent state withholding on top. These are prepayments, not your final tax bill. If the winnings push your income into a higher bracket, you’ll owe the difference when you file. The Lottery mails a Form W-2G by January 31 of the following year for use on your return.10Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Wisconsin Taxation of Gambling Income Publication 600
When Your Check Arrives
Standard claims generally take two to three weeks before a check is mailed to the address on your form. Group claims add up to two more weeks after the court order is received. In-person claims are reviewed on the spot, but the check still arrives by mail unless the prize is small enough to be paid at the office. For status updates, call 608-261-4916.
Your Name May Become Public
Wisconsin’s Open Records Law treats lottery winner identities as public information. Once your claim is processed, your name and city of residence can be released in response to a public records request, including requests from media outlets. Wisconsin does not currently offer a path to full anonymity. A trust can hold a ticket, but the beneficiary’s information still has to be disclosed to the Lottery for tax reporting and debt checking. If privacy matters to you, talk to an attorney before you file, with the understanding that your name will eventually be accessible through a records request.