Section 320. Unclaimed prizes

A. Except for a free ticket prize, a claim for a lottery game winning ticket must be mailed in an envelope bearing a postmark of the United States Postal Service or another sovereign nation or received for payment as prescribed in this chapter within either 180 days after the date of the drawing for which the ticket was purchased, or of the event that caused the ticket to be a winning entry, or, in the case of a scratcher, within 180 days after the announced end of the game. In the event that the 180th day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the winning ticket will be accepted for validation on the next business day only at a lottery office.

B. Any lottery cash prize that remains unclaimed after either 180 days following the drawing that determined the prize or 180 days after the announced end of the scratch game shall revert to Virginia's Literary Fund. Cash prizes do not include free ticket prizes or other noncash prizes such as merchandise, vacations, admission to events and the like.

C. All claims for computer-generated game winning tickets for which the prize is a free ticket must be mailed in an envelope bearing a postmark of the United States Postal Service or another sovereign nation or received for redemption as prescribed in this chapter within 180 days after the date of the drawing for which the ticket was purchased. In the event the 180th day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, a claimant may only redeem his winning ticket for a free ticket at a cashing retailer on or before the 180th day.

Except for claims for free ticket prizes mailed to lottery headquarters and postmarked on or before the 180th day, claims for such prizes will not be accepted at any lottery office after the 60th day. This section does not apply to the redemption of free tickets awarded through the subscription program.

D. Any scratch game winning ticket of $25 or less that has been purchased but not claimed within 180 days after the announced end of the scratch game shall revert to the Virginia Lottery Fund.

E. In case of a prize payable over time, if such prize is shared by two or more winning tickets, one or more of which is not presented to the agency for payment within the prize redemption period as established by the game rules, the agency will transfer that portion of the prize to Virginia's Literary Fund in accordance with procedures approved by the State Treasurer.

F. In accordance with the provisions of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 1940 (50 USC App § 526), any person while in active military service may claim exemption from the 180-day ticket redemption requirement. Such person, however, must claim his winning ticket or share as soon as practicable, and in no event later than 180 days after discharge from active military service.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 19, Issue 15, eff. May 7, 2003; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 26, eff. September 26, 2012; Volume 31, Issue 03, eff. November 5, 2014; Volume 32, Issue 03, eff. December 21, 2015.

Statutory Authority

§ 58.1-4007 of the Code of Virginia.