State Specific Rules
You have to be at least 18 years of age to play. You can take part online or by visiting any licensed Kentucky Lottery retailer. Double Play is also available in Kentucky.
Playing Online
To play online, set up an online account with the Kentucky Lottery and deposit funds. Once you’ve done that, just select the Powerball option from the list of available games. Enter your numbers into the blank circles or press Quick Pick to have a random selection generated for you. You can add more plays if you want to enter more than one line of numbers. Finally, decide whether you want to add Power Play and select how many drawings you would like to enter, up to a maximum of 26. Hit ‘Add to Cart’ when you are happy with your selections and then ‘Checkout’ to complete your purchase.
Playing In-Store
You can also play in-store by filling out a playslip at any licensed retailer, and you can enter up to 26 consecutive drawings in advance. If you want a Quick Pick, just select the appropriate section of your playslip or ask the store clerk.
Another option in Kentucky is to ‘Play it Again’, where you can just hand in a ticket from a previous draw and the exact same selections will be used for future games. You can only use tickets bought within the last 30 days for this.
How to Claim Prizes
You have 180 days to claim Powerball prizes in Kentucky. The claims process depends on how much you have won, and also on whether you played online or in-store.
Online Players
Prizes of $600 or less will be automatically paid into your online account. You can also claim awards of up to $49,999 online by logging in to your account, providing your Social Security number and stating whether you are a U.S. citizen or not. A check will then be mailed to the address on file for your online account.
Alternatively, you can claim a prize between $600 and $49,999 at the regional office in Lexington or at the Kentucky Lottery headquarters in Louisville. Prizes between $50,000 and $99,999 must be claimed in person at a regional office or at the Kentucky Lottery headquarters, and prizes of $100,000 can only be claimed at the Kentucky Lottery headquarters. You can find the addresses of both offices below.
| Location | Address | Telephone Number: |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville (HQ) | 1011 West Main Street Louisville, KY 40202 | (502)560-1500 |
| Lexington | Fortune Business Center 961 Beasley Street, Suite 110 Lexington, KY 40509 | (859) 299-0684 |
Retail Players
You can claim any prize up to $600 from a licensed Kentucky Lottery retailer. For amounts between $600 and $5,000, you can either submit a claim form, visit an authorized cashing agent, the regional office in Lexington or the Kentucky Lottery headquarters in Louisville.
To claim more than $5,000 and up to $99,999, go to either the regional office or the Louisville headquarters. If you win $100,000 or more, you will be required to visit the Kentucky Lottery headquarters.
For claiming prizes by mail, you will need to send your winning ticket and claim form to the following address:
Kentucky Lottery Corporation
Claims - Dept. 100
Louisville, KY 40287-0001
You will also need to provide a copy of a valid form of photo ID, such as a driver’s license, and a document that verifies your social security number, such as a pay stub.
You will be required to choose whether you would take the cash or annuity for a jackpot win when you buy your ticket, although you can change your mind either way within 60 days of claiming the prize.
Lost and Damaged Tickets
Powerball tickets are bearer instruments so you cannot lose them and expect to be able to claim a prize. You need to present a winning ticket before you can be paid out and are advised to sign the back of your entry as soon as you have made your purchase. A ticket must satisfy all conditions for validation before a payout can be confirmed, so damaged tickets will be assessed on an individual basis.
Taxes
If you win a prize in Kentucky, it is considered as income and will be subject to state tax. Any award over $600 is reported to the IRS and the Kentucky Department of Revenue, while there will be a state withholding of up to 5 percent on any prize over $5,000.
Going Public
You are not allowed to stay anonymous if you win a prize. The terms of playing in Kentucky outline that you understand and agree that your name, city and prize amount may be used if you win, along with any photograph, video or audio recording that might be required for promotional purposes.
Where Does the Money Go?
When you buy a Kentucky Powerball ticket, 69 percent of the money you spend goes to the prize pool. A 5 percent portion is used for administrative costs and another 5 percent goes to retailers, while the remaining 25 percent is allocated for the Commonwealth of Kentucky to help good causes throughout the state.
The majority of the money for good causes is funneled into the education system, supporting initiatives such as the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship, the College Access Program and the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship. The Kentucky Lottery has now contributed more than $6.4 billion to the state since it started in 1989.
Kentucky Powerball Winners
Rob and Tuesday Anderson became Kentucky’s biggest Powerball winners on December 26, 2009 when they claimed $128 million. They owed their good fortune to a mix-up at the Walmart store on Highway 62 in Georgetown when Rob bought the ticket on Christmas Eve. He had wanted to buy three single tickets as stocking fillers but the clerk mistakenly gave him one ticket containing three lines, so he decided to keep that for himself and get the other three he needed.
David Edwards of Westwood claimed one of four winning tickets for what was a record Powerball jackpot of $295 million on August 25, 2001. He opted to take a cash payout of $41 million before taxes.
