Section 871.13. Procedures for claiming and payment of Powerball prizes

(a) Pennsylvania Powerball prizes shall be claimed only through a licensed on-line Pennsylvania Lottery retailer beginning on the day following the drawing. The Lottery is not authorized to accept claims or pay prizes for Powerball tickets purchased in other jurisdictions.

(b) An on-line retailer is authorized and required to make payment of a prize of $2,500 or less on an individual Powerball winning ticket, if the ticket is presented within a designated time period as announced by the Secretary and if the retailer has sufficient funds available for payment.

(c) The holder of an apparent winning Powerball ticket containing one or more winning lettered play selections representing combined prizes of $2,500 or less will be paid by participating on-line retailers as provided in subsection (b), if the ticket validation requirements in § 871.12 (relating to ticket validation requirements) have been met, a proper validation pay ticket has been issued by the retailer’s computer terminal and other retailer procedures have been met.

(d) The holder of an apparent winning Powerball ticket containing one or more winning lettered play selections representing combined prizes in excess of $2,500, with the exception of the grand prize category, shall first validate the apparent winning ticket at the participating Pennsylvania Lottery on-line retailer to receive a validation receipt, complete a claim form and display appropriate identification and then surrender the winning ticket and the original claim form to the retailer for transmittal to Lottery Headquarters for payment under Chapter 811 (relating to prizes).

(e) The holder of an apparent winning Powerball ticket containing one or more winning lettered play selections representing a grand prize category prize shall present, in person, the apparent winning ticket to the Pennsylvania Lottery Headquarters for validation under Chapter 811.

(f) In the event of the death of a Powerball grand prize winner and upon petition of the estate of the prize winner, the MUSL Powerball Product Group may accelerate payment of all remaining proceeds from the winning ticket to the estate of the winner by transferring to the estate the securities or cash, or both, being held to satisfy the prize requirements, or paying the estate the present value of the remaining payments of the winner’s prize. The valuation of the securities and determination of the present value of the accelerated lottery payments shall be at the sole discretion of the MUSL Powerball Group. The payment of a set prize to a person who dies before receiving any or all of a particular prize and to a person under 18 years of age will be paid under § § 811.16 and 811.27 (relating to prizes payable after death of prize winner; and payment of prizes to persons under 18 years of age).

(g) The Commonwealth will be discharged of liability after payment of prizes as provided in § 811.26 (relating to discharge of State liability upon payment).

(h) The Lottery may delay payment of the prize pending a final determination by the Secretary if a dispute occurs, or it appears likely that a dispute may occur, regarding the prize; if there is any question regarding the identity of the claimant; if there is any question regarding the validity of the ticket presented for payment; or if the claim is subject to any setoff for delinquent debts owed by the claimant under Pennsylvania statute. The Lottery may delay payment of a grand prize pending a claimant election of payment method as provided under § 871.9(b) (relating to Powerball prize payments). The Lottery may delay payment of a grand prize for up to 15 days as permitted by the MUSL rules.

Notation

Cross References

This section cited in 61 Pa. Code § 871.9 (relating to Powerball prize payments); and 61 Pa. Code § 871.12 (relating to ticket validation requirements).