FAQs
Ninety-five cents of every dollar you spend on California Lottery games goes back to the community through contributions to public schools and colleges, prizes, and retail compensation. See how Lottery funds are making a difference on the Who Benefits page.
Yes. You don’t need to be a California resident or U.S. citizen to play and win any California Lottery Scratchers® or draw game, but California Lottery games can only be purchased from a California Lottery retailer in California.
However, to be eligible to win prizes through the California Lottery’s 2nd Chance Program, you must have an active 2nd Chance account at the time of the applicable 2nd Chance drawing.
Collect your prize of up to $599 at any participating California Lottery retail location.
Collect your prize of $600 or more at any California Lottery District Office or by mail. Bring your winning ticket and a completed Claim Form to a District Office. Prizes of $1,000 or less are eligible for same-day payment at any of our nine District Offices from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m with a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID.
For mail, pick up the Claim Form at any California Lottery retail location or District Office, or download the Claim Form (PDF). Send the Claim Form, winning ticket, and Claim Authorization Receipt (if you have it) by certified mail to California State Lottery, 730 North 10th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811 and save a copy of every item you submit.
For 2nd Chance prizes, you will need to download and complete a 2nd Chance Claim Form (PDF), and mail it to California Lottery, Attn: 2nd Chance Promotion, 700 North 10th Street MS: 2-2, Sacramento, CA 95811-0336.
After your Claim Form is processed at California Lottery Headquarters in Sacramento, for error-free claims, you’ll receive a check in the mail in about 4 to 6 weeks.
Yes. The California Lottery is required to withhold federal taxes from your prize.
Keep in mind that federal taxes are subject to change. State and local taxes won’t be withheld from your California Lottery prizes, but you may still be liable for any California state and local personal income taxes. A professional tax adviser can help you determine your total tax liability.
If you can’t find the California Lottery verification email in your inbox, check your junk/spam folder. Also, add California Lottery to your safe senders list so you don’t miss emails from the California Lottery in the future.
The California Lottery email-verification link expires 24 hours after it’s sent. If you registered for your 2nd Chance account (or updated the email address associated with your account) more than 24 hours before you click the verification button, you will need to request a new verification email. Sign in to your account and click the ‘Request a new verification email’ link in the red banner.
If you need help, call California Lottery Customer Service at 1-800-LOTTERY (1-800-568-8379) Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., send an email to customerservice@calottery.com, or submit questions via the Contact Us form.
To ensure the integrity of your account, the California Lottery uses age/identity verification technology to validate your account details, such as your name, California address, and birthdate. To participate in registered player benefits like 2nd Chance, and to confirm your eligibility to win a promotional or 2nd Chance prize, players must provide the following information:
- Full legal name (first and last name)
- Valid California address (including apartment, unit, or suite number, if applicable)
- Date of birth (to ensure you’re 18 or older and can legally play the California Lottery)
It is the California Lottery’s policy to limit the collection of personal information and protect the personal information we collect and maintain.
Sign in to your account and go to the My Profile page, then click the ‘Edit My Profile’ button and update your information. After you update your information, submit the changes by clicking the ‘Save Changes’ button at the bottom of the page.
If you update your email address, the California Lottery will send you a verification email. If you don’t see it in your inbox, check your junk/spam folder. Add California Lottery to your safe senders list so you don’t miss emails from the California Lottery in the future. The California Lottery email-verification link expires 24 hours after it’s sent. If it has been more than 24 hours since you updated the email address associated with your account, you will need to request a new verification email. Sign in to your account and click the ‘Request a new verification email’ link in the red banner.
You have two options: Suspend your account, or delete your account.
- Suspend - Your account will be suspended, but your profile information will be retained – so you can reactivate your account whenever you wish.
- Delete - All your information will be removed from our database. Your active 2nd Chance draw submissions will also be deleted. You will need to create a new account if you’d like to participate in 2nd Chance again.
Sign in to your account, go to the My Profile page, select the ‘Edit My Profile’ button, then select the link for 'Suspend/Delete My Account.' Follow the options for suspending or deleting your account.
Note that if you delete your account while you have active 2nd Chance entries, your entries will be deleted along with all your other account information.
If you suspended your 2nd Chance account and would like to reactivate it, simply go to the Sign In page and enter the username and password associated with your account, then follow the prompts.
Note that if you deleted your account, all of your account information was deleted. You will need to create a new 2nd Chance account.
Call the California Lottery’s Security & Law Enforcement Division toll-free at 1-800-LOTTERY (1-800-568-8379) and provide:
- Retailer’s name, ID number, and/or address
- Date and time of the incident
- Description of the incident
A security incident report will be opened and, depending on the situation, the California Lottery may take further action.
If you feel you received the wrong 2nd Chance prize, contact the California Lottery’s Customer Service toll-free at 1-800-LOTTERY (1-800-568-8379) Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., or send an email to customerservice@calottery.com for assistance and provide:
- Your name and contact information
- Prize Name/Amount
- Ticket ID/Entry Code
- Drawing Name
- Drawing ID (if applicable)