Many prizes remain unclaimed, but deadlines have been extended
As 2020 draws to a close, the Maryland Lottery offers a reminder that a grace period has been established to cash winning tickets and Lottery cash vouchers that have reached their expiration dates during the State of Maryland’s COVID-19 state of emergency.
Typically, winning draw game tickets must be cashed within 182 days of the drawing date, winning FAST PLAY tickets must be cashed within 182 days of the sale date, and cash vouchers must be claimed within 182 days of the date they were printed. Tickets that can be claimed under grace period rules include:
- Draw game tickets for drawings held on or after September 6, 2019 (182 days before Maryland’s COVID-19 state of emergency went into effect on March 5, 2020)
- Any FAST PLAY ticket (FAST PLAY games first went on sale Feb. 10, 2020)
Last claim dates for scratch-off tickets are listed on the scratch-off page of the Maryland Lottery’s website. Cash vouchers printed by the Lottery’s self-service vending machines are valid for 182 days from the date printed, and are subject to the grace-period rules.
How to claim a grace-period ticket
Retailers are not able to cash grace-period tickets or vouchers. Instead, they must be claimed through Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. This can be done by mail or by scheduling an appointment to visit the Lottery’s office.
To claim a grace-period ticket or voucher by mail, print a mail-in claim form and follow the instructions available on the How To Claim page. To claim in person at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore, visit the schedule page on our website to make an appointment.
Tickets in the grace period can be cashed for up to 30 days after Maryland’s COVID-19 state of emergency is lifted. As of Dec. 28, 2020, no date has been set for lifting the state of emergency. After the grace period expires, unclaimed prizes that are past their claiming deadlines will be transferred into the Lottery’s unclaimed prize fund. Under Maryland law, all unclaimed Lottery prize money must go to Lottery players in the form of prizes. Unclaimed prize money is used for a variety of bonus prizes, My Lottery Rewards program second-chance prizes, and promotions.
Unclaimed grace-period tickets
In all, thousands of tickets fall under the grace-period rules. As of Dec. 28, 2020 there were 14 unclaimed draw game and FAST PLAY prizes worth more than $6,000 that can still be claimed because of the grace-period rules. They are:
- A Lucky Numbers FAST PLAY ticket worth $250,975 sold March 18, 2020 at Rodman’s Discount Stores, 4301 Randolph Road, Silver Spring
- A Powerball ticket worth $50,000 sold Jan. 3, 2020 at Value Dollar, 8030 New Hampshire Avenue, Hyattsville
- A Powerball ticket worth $50,000 sold Oct. 19, 2019 at Westway Liquors, 5312 Edmondson Avenue, Baltimore
- A Powerball ticket worth $50,000 sold Nov. 23, 2019 at Lou’s Liquors, 1208 Mayo Road, Edgewater
- A Lucky Numbers FAST PLAY ticket worth $50,000 sold June 27, 2020 at Giant #347, 10480 Campus Way, Upper Marlboro
- A Racetrax ticket worth $37,973 sold March 16, 2020 at Best One Food Market, 5908 Seat Pleasant Drive, Capitol Heights
- A Mega Millions ticket worth $12,000 sold Sept. 3, 2019 at Ridgely Liquors, 1752 York Road, Lutherville
- A Racetrax ticket worth $11,155 sold June 26, 2020 at Downtown Amoco, 1100 South Hanover Street, Baltimore
- A Racetrax ticket worth $10,718 sold June 20, 2020 at Woodmont Market, 8227 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda
- A Lucky Numbers FAST PLAY ticket worth $10,000 sold March 2, 2020 at Rodman’s Discount Stores, 4301 Randolph Road, Silver Spring
- A Treasure Chase FAST PLAY ticket worth $10,000 sold March 8, 2020 at Economy Liquors, 9352 Lanham – Severn Road, Lanham
- A Racetrax ticket worth $9,978 sold Sept. 16, 2019 at Express Food Mart, 4901 Marlboro Pike, Capitol Heights
- A Racetrax ticket worth $8,318.80 sold Sept. 13, 2019 at Woodbrook Exxon, 6201 North Charles Street, Baltimore
- A Racetrax ticket worth $6,597 sold Jan. 10, 2020 at Tucker’s Liquors, 8100 Old Alexandria Ferry Road, Clinton
In addition, four high-value prizes will soon reach their 182-day deadlines and transition into their grace periods:
- A Racetrax ticket worth $5,885 sold July 1, 2020 at 2&4 Liquors, 6200 Solomon’s Island Road, Huntington (grace period starts Dec. 30, 2020)
- A Powerball ticket worth $50,000 sold Aug. 3 at Harford Road Shell, 6708 Harford Road, Parkville (grace period starts Feb. 1, 2021)
- A Money Multiplier FAST PLAY ticket worth $50,000 sold Aug. 19, 2020 at 7-Eleven #11666, 900 Merrimac Drive, Takoma Park (grace period starts Feb. 17, 2021)
- A Racetrax ticket worth $5,158 sold Sept. 6, 2020 at Harford Convenience, 3514 Harford Road, Baltimore (grace period starts March 7, 2021)