Yes, lottery tickets do expire in Ohio. Every Ohio Lottery ticket carries a 180-day claim window set by the Ohio Lottery Commission, and any prize not claimed within that period is forfeited to the state. What changes from game to game is the event that starts the clock.1The Ohio Lottery. How To Claim
When the 180 Days Start
The trigger date depends on which type of ticket you’re holding:
- Draw games — Mega Millions, Powerball, Classic Lotto, Rolling Cash 5, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, and Lucky for Life — expire 180 days after the drawing date printed on the ticket.1The Ohio Lottery. How To Claim
- Scratch-off (instant) tickets expire 180 days after the game’s official closing date, not the date you bought or scratched the ticket. Because a scratch-off game can stay on sale for months or years, an old ticket in your drawer may still be well within its window.1The Ohio Lottery. How To Claim
- EZPLAY games expire 180 days from the date of purchase.1The Ohio Lottery. How To Claim
Once those 180 days pass, Ohio Revised Code 3770.07 transfers the prize to the state’s unclaimed lottery prizes fund. There is no extension and no appeal. The statute does carve out one situation: if a winner has died, an executor, administrator, or trustee can claim the prize within the same 180-day window.
Finding Your Deadline
For a draw game ticket, look at the drawing date printed on the ticket and count 180 days forward. That is your last day to claim.
Scratch-offs take one extra step because the game closing date is not printed on the ticket. The Ohio Lottery keeps a running “Last Day to Redeem” page listing each scratch-off game and its final claim date.2The Ohio Lottery. Last Day to Redeem If you’re holding an older scratch-off, check that list first.
To find out whether a ticket is a winner at all, use the ticket scanner in the Ohio Lottery mobile app, or ask any authorized retailer to scan it for you. Uncover the full barcode on scratch-offs before scanning.
How to Claim Before the Window Closes
Where you claim depends on the size of the prize:
- Up to $599: cash the ticket at any Ohio Lottery retailer. No paperwork.3The Ohio Lottery. Claim Prizes
- $600 to $5,000: a retailer validates the ticket, prints a Pay-to-Bearer receipt, and helps you complete a claim form. Payment can be collected at an authorized cashing location, through the mobile app, or by mail. Ohio Lottery Super Retailers also process prizes in this range.1The Ohio Lottery. How To Claim
- $5,001 to $25,000: cash through the mobile cashing feature in the app, at any of Ohio’s seven racinos, or by direct deposit at an Ohio Lottery regional office.1The Ohio Lottery. How To Claim
- Over $25,000, jackpots, and annuity prizes: call the nearest regional office to schedule an appointment. Mega Millions, Powerball, and Classic Lotto jackpots must go through a regional office regardless of amount.1The Ohio Lottery. How To Claim
For anything $600 or more, you’ll fill out an official claim form, provide a valid photo ID showing your current address, and give your Social Security number. Accepted IDs include a driver’s license or state ID from any state, a military ID, and a valid passport, among other government-issued options.1The Ohio Lottery. How To Claim Prizes of $600 or more are reported to the IRS on a W-2G.4Ohio Lottery. Claim Form
Mailing the Claim In
Any prize can be claimed by mailing the signed winning ticket and completed claim form to the Ohio Lottery Commission’s central office. Ohio administrative rules recommend certified or registered mail, and the Lottery is not responsible for tickets lost in transit; your ticket isn’t considered received until the claims bureau logs it in.5Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Rule 3770 1-8-02 – Manner of Claiming Prize Awards Send it to:
The Ohio Lottery Commission
The Lausche Building – Room 452
615 West Superior Avenue
Cleveland, OH 441131The Ohio Lottery. How To Claim
Include a copy of your photo ID for any mailed claim over $5,000. Because a lost ticket cannot be replaced, certified mail with return receipt is worth the small extra cost, and mailing well before day 180 gives the claims bureau time to log the ticket.
Damaged Tickets Are Not Automatically Dead
A torn, washed, or otherwise physically damaged ticket isn’t automatically worthless. Under the Lottery’s defective ticket procedure, damaged tickets are routed to the Claims Department, where the Office of Security attempts to reconstruct them. If the ticket is a winner, you’re paid the winning value; if not, you’re notified.6The Ohio Lottery. Defective, Misprinted or Non-Conforming Ticket Procedure Tickets that appear intentionally altered are referred to the Office of Security and the Office of Legal Counsel. A ticket that went through the washing machine is still worth bringing in.
What Happens If You Miss the 180 Days
If the window closes on a winning ticket, the prize is gone. Under Ohio Revised Code 3770.07 the money moves to the unclaimed lottery prizes fund in the state treasury and from there into the Lottery Profits Education Fund, which supports elementary, secondary, vocational, and special education in Ohio. The Ohio Lottery reported $1.4 billion in total payments to education in fiscal year 2025.7The Ohio Lottery. Ohio Lottery Commission Annual Report 2025 A good outcome for Ohio schools, a bad one for the person with an expired winner in a jacket pocket. If you find an old ticket, scan it today and note the deadline before you set it down again.