Coronavirus Lottery Changes for April 19

Sunday April 19^th 2020

Here are the most recent lottery changes due to coronavirus, including Powerball and Mega-Millions multi-draw ticket refunds, extended winning ticket expiration dates, claim center closures, and new ways to safely claim large prizes.

Most lottery drawings, including Mega Millions and Powerball, continue to be held on schedule.

Staying safe at home doesn't mean you have to give up enjoying the lottery; you can play online with a secure payment process and tickets stored in your account. If you win, prizes are paid automatically.

Coronavirus state lottery updates

Below are the latest changes lotteries nationwide have made to help everyone stay safe during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Kansas

The Lottery is offering refunds of Powerball and Mega Millions multi-draw tickets via coupons in the following circumstances:

• Powerball: Any multi-draw ticket purchased on or before April 8, 2020 is eligible for a refund of draws occuring after April 8 through the ticket expiration.
• Mega Millions: Any multi-draw ticket purchased on or before April 10, 2020 is eligible for a refund of draws occuring after April 10 through the ticket expiration.

Make sure to keep your original ticket because you'll still be able to redeem any prizes won.

To claim your coupons, complete a separate form for each ticket:

Download Powerball Refund Claim Form

Download Mega Millions Refund Claim Form

Sign the back of your ticket and make a copy of the front and back. Send the completed form(s) and copies of your ticket (not the original ticket) to the lottery by U.S. Mail or email:

Send by U.S. Mail:

Kansas Lottery
ATTN: S.L.E.D.
128 N. Kansas Ave.
Topeka, KS 66603-3638

Send by email: refund@kslottery.net

Reimbursement claims must be postmarked or emailed by May 1, 2020.

New Jersey

The lottery's Lawrence Township front office closure for walk-in prize claims has been extended through at least May 15.

Prizes of $599.50 and under can be redeemed at a retailer, and prizes of any value may be claimed by mail. Mail-in claims will be processed as usual; however, there may be a temporary delay in payments.

The claim period for tickets that would have expired from March 19 to May 15 has been extended. Players will have an extra 30 days to claim from the date of the lottery's office reopening.

For example, a prize for a draw held on March 31, 2019 would normally expire a year later, on March 31, 2020. With the extension, this ticket would now be valid until June 15, 2020. The exact expiration date will depend on when the lottery's office reopens, and the date may be extended further if necessary.

New Mexico

The Lottery is offering refunds of Powerball multi-draw tickets via Lottery Bucks in the following circumstances:

• The multi-draw ticket was purchased on or before April 8, 2020, and
• The ticket must have at least one drawing after April 8, 2020 remaining on the ticket.

To claim Lottery Bucks, take a picture of your ticket and email the photo and your mailing address to CustService@NMLottery.com. The deadline to claim is July 31, 2020.

Players will receive Lottery Bucks equal to the value of the purchase price of the ticket's remaining draws after April 8. Each household is limited to a maximum of $50 (50 Lottery Bucks). Mailings may be temporarily delayed because employees are working remotely.

Hold on to your original ticket - you can still claim any prizes won.

North Carolina

The Lottery has launched a temporary Stay at Home claims process for prizes of $600 and above:

• Winners of $100,000 and up can now use the Stay at Home process instead of waiting until claim centers reopen.
• The Stay at Home process provides assurance to players that the lottery has validated winning tickets before they are sent by certified mail for processing.
• To start your claim, call Lottery customer services at 1-877-962-7529 and select option 0. An employee will explain the steps required to receive your prize.

Prizes under $600 may be paid out by retailers. Tickets worth between $600 and $99,999 may also be redeemed by mail - see details in the link below.

Ohio

The Lottery has put Cash Explosion drawings and selection on hold - but hang on to your Entry tickets to submit when the game is restarted. The Lottery will securely store tickets received after March 26 until drawings reopen. For any questions, contact the Game Show Bureau at 216-774-5687.

Orders of MyLotto Rewards catalog items (with the exception of gift cards) have been temporarily suspended due to issues with stock and shipping related to COVID-19.

Tennessee

The Lottery has extended its closure of all claim centers statewide until further notice, including offices in Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Memphis.

For prizes of $50,000 or more, the Lottery has introduced the option to make an appointment to safely claim in person in Nashville. Call 615-324-6688 to arrange a booking (this number is for appointments only).

The player services hotline numbers below are available to answer questions from Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:30pm CT:

• In the (615) and (629) area, call 615-254-4946
• In the (901) area, call 466-4946
• In the (865) area, call 512-4946
• In the (423) area call 939-7529
• In all other areas in the state, call 1-877-786-7529
• Outside Tennessee, call 615-254-4946

Winners may redeem prizes of any value with a mail-in claim - see the link below for details. Retailers may also be able to pay out prizes under $600.

Wyoming

The Lottery's office closure has been extended through April 24. Winners should claim prizes by mail - see the link below for details.

Written by Sarah Jamieson

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