Columbia Claims Center

Phone: (803)253-4004
- Opening times:
- Monday to Friday - -
Game | Result | Est. Jackpot | Next Draw |
---|---|---|---|
Pick 3 Midday
|
|
||
|
|||
Pick 3 Evening
|
|
||
Pick 4 Midday
|
|
||
Pick 4 Evening
|
|
||
|
|||
Palmetto Cash 5
|
|
||
Powerball
|
|
||
Mega Millions
|
|
||
|
|||
Lucky for Life
|
|
Scammers are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing their activities in South Carolina. Be aware, stay alert, and never send money to receive a lottery prize.
The South Carolina Educational Lottery Claim Centers is open for claims.
Prizes of $500 or less can be claimed at South Carolina Educational Lottery retailers.
Prizes over $500 and up to $100,000 can be claimed by mail: complete and sign the back of the ticket, fill out the Prize Claim Form, and include a copy of a valid photo ID.
All documents need to be mailed via certified mail to the South Carolina Educational Lottery. Keep a copy of all documents for your records.
A quick summary for all South Carolina State Lottery games.
Game | Prize Type | Numbers | Sales Close |
---|---|---|---|
Pick 3 Midday | Top Prize | 3 from 0-9 | 12:45 p.m. |
Pick 3 Evening | Top Prize | 3 from 0-9 | 6:45 p.m. |
Pick 4 Midday | Top Prize | 4 from 0-9 | 12:45 p.m. |
Pick 4 Evening | Top Prize | 4 from 0-9 | 6:45 p.m. |
Palmetto Cash 5 | Top Prize | 5 from 1-38 | 6:45 p.m. |
Powerball | Jackpot | 5 from 1-69 + 1 from 1-26 | 9:59 p.m. |
Mega Millions | Jackpot | 5 from 1-70 + 1 from 1-25 | 10:00 p.m. |
Lucky for Life | Top Prize | 5 from 1-48 + 1 from 1-18 | 9:35 p.m. |
Find out when each draw takes place.
Game | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pick 3 Midday | 12:59 p.m. | 12:59 p.m. | 12:59 p.m. | 12:59 p.m. | 12:59 p.m. | 12:59 p.m. | |
Pick 3 Evening | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. |
Pick 4 Midday | 12:59 p.m. | 12:59 p.m. | 12:59 p.m. | 12:59 p.m. | 12:59 p.m. | 12:59 p.m. | |
Pick 4 Evening | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. |
Palmetto Cash 5 | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:59 p.m. |
Powerball | 10:59 p.m. | 10:59 p.m. | |||||
Mega Millions | 11:00 p.m. | 11:00 p.m. | |||||
Lucky for Life | 10:35 p.m. | 10:35 p.m. | |||||
All times displayed in South Carolina local time. |
In South Carolina, lottery players can purchase tickets for a number of consecutive draws in advance. Here’s how many you can buy at a time:
Game | Advanced Draws |
---|---|
Pick 3 Midday | up to 14 |
Pick 3 Evening | up to 14 |
Pick 4 Midday | up to 14 |
Pick 4 Evening | up to 14 |
Palmetto Cash 5 | up to 40 |
Powerball | up to 20 |
Mega Millions | up to 20 |
Lucky for Life | up to 20 |
Here’s the normal process for claiming prizes in South Carolina.
Postal Address: SC Education Lottery, P.O. Box 11039 Columbia, SC 29211-1039
Download the South Carolina Lottery Prize Claim Form.
Here are the taxes withheld by the South Carolina Lottery, for all U.S. citizens or residents.
Winnings | Tax | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Over $500 and up to $5,000 | State Tax | 7% |
Federal Tax | 0% | |
Total: 7% |
Winnings | Tax | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Over $5,000 | State Tax | 7% |
Federal Tax | 24% | |
Total: 31% |
If the winner is not a citizen or is not a resident of the U.S., taxes withheld by the South Carolina Lottery are different:
Winnings | Tax | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Over $500 and up to $5,000 | State Tax | 7% |
Federal Tax | 0% | |
Total: 7% |
Winnings | Tax | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Over $5,000 | State Tax | 7% |
Federal Tax | 30% | |
Total: 37% |
Officially known as the South Carolina Education Lottery, the Lottery launched at the beginning of 2002 after being approved by the state’s General Assembly the previous year.
The Lottery joined Powerball in 2002, followed by Mega Millions at the start of 2010. In 2013, one anonymous ticket holder from the state won a Powerball jackpot worth nearly $400 million.
In 2018, one South Carolina player won a Mega Millions jackpot worth $1.57 billion. So far, the South Carolina Lottery has managed to raise over $5.5 billion for the state’s educational initiatives, including college scholarships, community education, and K-12 programs. To play South Carolina Lottery games, you need to be 18 years old or older.
Phone Number: (803) 737-2002, (866) 736-9819
The first thing to do is to sign the back of your ticket. If you lose it before signing it, it’s no longer yours, as tickets are bearer instruments. You can then redeem your winning ticket at an authorized retailer provided the amount is less than $500.
You can also mail in your ticket or visit the Lottery Office in Columbia. Furthermore, we strongly recommend that you consult with a lawyer or financial advisor before claiming any big lottery prize, as they can be of great help during the claim process.
You can’t hold the South Carolina Lottery responsible for a stolen or lost ticket. That’s why it’s important to sign your lottery ticket as soon as you purchase it.
Players must be 18 years old or older to play.
Yes, lottery winnings in South Carolina are subject to both state and federal taxes. The South Carolina Education Lottery is also required to withhold a percentage of certain lottery winnings for tax purposes. You can find all the details in the Tax Information section.
You have 180 days from the date of the draw to claim your prize.
The South Carolina Lottery offers the following draw games: Lucky for Life, Palmetto Cash 5, Mega Millions, Powerball, Pick 3 (Midday, Evening), and Pick 4 (Midday, Evening).
Yes! South Carolina is one of the few states that allow winners to keep their identity a secret.
Yes, you can purchase a number of tickets in advance for consecutive draws for all the games offered by the South Carolina Lottery.
No, it’s not legal. You need to purchase your lottery tickets from a licensed South Carolina Lottery retailer.
Proceeds from the sale of lottery tickets go to the state and are divided among a number of state initiatives and programs including scholarships, Higher Education Programs, the Smartstate Program, and more.
Got any more questions about the South Carolina Lottery? Contact us we'd love to help answer them.