District of Columbia Powerball Rules
The game is played in the same way in Washington D.C. as in other jurisdictions. You just need to find a licensed lottery retailer, select five main numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball between 1 and 26, and decide whether to opt for the Power Play. However, there are certain rules which apply in Washington D.C. which may be different in other participating jurisdictions:
- The minimum age to play is 18.
- You can purchase tickets in advance for up to 20 consecutive draws.
- The deadline for playing is 9:45pm Eastern Time on draw days.
How to Claim Prizes
You can claim prizes up to the value of $600 from any licensed DC Lottery retailer. A few select retailers also act as mini-claim centers, allowing you to redeem winnings between $600 and $5,000. You can also claim by mailing your winning ticket to the DC Lottery, along with your social security number and a copy of photographic identification, such as a driver’s license or passport.
Mail claims must be sent to the Office of Lottery and Charitable Games Prize Center, which is also the only location where you can claim prizes above $5,000. The address is as follows:
Office of Lottery and Charitable Games Prize Center
Lobby Level
2235 Shannon Place, S.E.
Washington, D. C. 20020
The table below shows the names and addresses of the retailers where you can claim prizes of up to $5,000.
| Store Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Takoma Park Liquors | 6200 Eastern Ave. NE 20011 |
| Tenley Market | 4326 Wisconsin Ave. NW 20016 |
| Barmy Liquors | 1912 L St. NW 20036 |
| Avondale Coffee | 1909 Michigan Ave NE 20018 |
| Patron Convenience | 3235 Pennsylvania Ave SE 20020 |
| Metro Wine & Spirits | 1726 Columbia Rd NW 20009 |
| Georgia Avenue Food Barn | 6205 Georgia Ave NW 20011 |
DC Lottery prizes are paid out to a single legal entity, whether that is an individual person or an organization. If you play in a pool and want to share the money, it is therefore your decision whether to form a legal trust before claiming the prize, or have the money paid out to one designated member and have them distribute the funds to the rest of the group.
Claim Period
You must claim your prize within 180 days of the drawing. Once this deadline has passed, the ticket will no longer be valid and the money will be transferred to the district’s General Fund.
Taxes
If you win a prize of more than $5,000, the DC Lottery will withhold income taxes of up 8.5 percent, in addition to federal taxes, although rates are subject to change in accordance with Washington D.C. tax and revenue regulations. Your own personal circ*mstances will also impact on your tax liability. If you win a DC Lottery prize and are not a resident of the District of Columbia, you may also be subject to state and local taxes where you live.
Lost and Damaged Tickets
You have no right to claim a prize if you lose your Powerball ticket in Washington D.C. If you have not signed it, anyone in possession may file a claim. If your ticket has been damaged, the DC Lottery must be satisfied that it is a valid winner before you can be paid out any prizes it might be due.
Going Public
Information about prize winners in Washington D.C. is a matter of public record, and as such you automatically agree to have your name, city of residence, prize amount and photograph released if you submit a claim. However, as prizes just have to be paid out to a ‘single legal entity’, it is possible to form a trust to make your claim and effectively preserve your anonymity.
Where Does the Money Go?
The DC Lottery pays 63.9 percent of the money it takes in straight back to players in the form of prizes. Agent commissions (7 percent), contracts (3.3 percent) and advertising (3.1 percent) account for some of the revenue, but the lottery’s main focus is to support essential services in the District of Columbia, and more than 22 percent is transferred to the General Fund to help the economy.
The Charitable Games Division of the DC Lottery has also helped to raise more than $130 million since 1982 thanks to the licensing of various gaming activities, including bingo, raffle and Monte Carlo Night.
DC Powerball Winners
An 82-year-old man from the southeast of the city became Washington D.C.’s biggest winner when he snapped up a jackpot of $144 million on April 8, 2009. The lucky winner, who had 10 children and 47 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, claimed his prize through a limited liability company called Rockson LLC. He opted for the lump sum payout of $79 million and set up three trusts – one to educate his heirs, one for their healthcare and one for philanthropic purposes.
