Punters have a diminishing window period of 182 days to cash their winning tickets, the days begin counting from the drawing dates. The same applies when a player wins the fast play tickets and must cash them within 182 days from the sale date. The cash vouchers must also be redeemed within 182 days from the date that they were printed.
There are times when punters are barely able to determine whether their tickets have expired or not. Maryland lottery, therefore, devised a means that the lottery players could use to determine if their tickets are still eligible for payout. Punters can, therefore, check their tickets by scanning them at any lottery retailer, or better yet they could use the lottery mobile applications.
Individuals who have, therefore, participated in the draw games and won have only 182 days from the day of drawing to cash their winnings. And players who have participated in the scratch-offs and won also have 182 days from the end of the game date to claim their prizes.
How to claim a winning lottery ticket in Maryland
If you win a prize in the Maryland lottery you can claim it by mail, or make an appointment and claim it in person. Alternatively, you could drop off a completed mail form and the winning ticket at the Maryland lottery headquarters in Baltimore. If you decide to claim your winnings by mail, you will have to give Maryland at least 30 business days to process your payment and that is from the day that Maryland receives your claim.
Individuals who wish to claim their winnings in person can do so at the Maryland lottery claims center that has currently been opened for the public. Punters are required to make appointments, mostly the winners claiming more than $5,000. Players who claim prizes that are lower than $600 can claim their prizes in any of the 4,400 Maryland Lottery retailers across the state.
And punters who claim prizes that are up to $5,000 can do so at any of the more than 300 Maryland lottery Expanded Cashing Authority Program locations. The lottery claims center does not encourage walk INS thus you must always make an appointment before visiting the establishment. The claims center works from Monday to Friday, with the operating hours set at 8:45 a. m. To 4:15 p. m.
Once you have scheduled an appointment an email confirmation will be sent to you including the date and time of the appointment. And if by any chance you are having trouble with the internet and cannot send mail, you can always use Maryland lotteries official phone number 410-230-2030. And as you prepare to visit the claims center, be sure to carry at least two forms of identification. A document that shows proof of the winner’s Social Security Number and a photo ID.
Your name must also match on both the identification documents, failure to which the lottery will not be able to process the ticket. The appointments are usually scheduled with a 10 minutes difference. Punters are required to arrive exactly five minutes before their appointment failure to which, you will have to wait outside the building. And if by any chance you happen to arrive 10 minutes late then you will have to schedule another appointment.
Maryland Lottery Ticket scanner
The Maryland lottery mobile application has consolidated all the information about the lottery that you might ever want. Through the application, you can check the winning numbers and even confirm if your ticket has won, this feature makes it easy for punters to claim their prizes on time. You can also use the mobile app to create and save electronic payslips, you will also be provided with first-hand information about the current jackpots, the application can also be used to set the jackpot alerts.
Conclusion
Maryland operates under very strict rules and regulations. For one, individuals who are 18 years and below are not allowed to buy or cash tickets. And winners must not always be known to the public they have the option of remaining anonymous if they choose to. If you, therefore, decide to remain anonymous, you must also avoid claiming your prize through a trust.
FAQ’s
Do the lottery tickets from Maryland Lottery expire?
Yes, the tickets from Maryland lottery expire after 182 days after a drawing.
Do the Maryland Scratch offs expire?
Yes, the scratch-offs, do expire and winners have 182 days from the day that the service provider announced the end of the game date.
Davis Stone
Davis Stone is passionate about gambling, he believes that there is no one size fits all formula to winning the lottery. However, by utilizing the correct strategy players can win the lotto jackpot. For example, players who buy the lotto tickets should choose numbers that coincide with the range of numbers from the lottery that they are planning to join. Also to become a potential winner by playing the lottery, players must invest in more tickets. Also, playing unpopular games that normally run at odd times tends to increase a player's chances of bagging huge profits. Stone insists that punters should also be keen to settle with lotteries that offer actual winning opportunities to its players like the Maryland lottery.