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The Arizona Lottery explained

In a lot of states, the minimum age for playing the lottery is 18, but it is 21 in Arizona. You can choose from all of the draw games that are typically offered by state lotteries, and there are scratchers available as well.

With regard to the potential winnings, there are big money games that can change your life, and there are more modest payouts that can make your day.

One of the nice features of the Arizona Lottery is its Players Club. You earn 10 Players Club points for every dollar that you spend on lottery entries. You can redeem your points to score sweet prizes, and you can alternately enter real money drawings with your points.

Is it possible to play the Arizona Lottery online?

The answer is yes and no. You can’t buy the standard lottery tickets online, but there is an Arizona Lottery “Lucky Lounge” app. When you download the app and sign up, you can buy tokens that are used to play digital games in the Lucky Lounge.

In addition to the direct purchase of tokens, you can convert Players Club Points to Lucky Lounge tokens. When you win additional tokens playing the games in the Lucky Lounge, you can use them to enter sweepstakes that provide cash payouts to the winners.

These drawings are held weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and quarterly, so you have many chances to win.

History of the Arizona Lottery

Lotteries were common in the United States during the colonial period, but they gradually fell out of favor due to pressure from religious groups. However, the government-operated lottery concept was revived in New Hampshire in 1964.

Subsequently, other states in the eastern part of the country started to launch their own lotteries. Arizona became the first state in the Western region to establish a lottery in 1980, and it has been growing in popularity since then.

In fact, the approval among voters is overwhelming. In 2002, nearly three out of four voters that went to the polls cast ballots in favor of an extension of the lottery for another 10 years. Another vote was held in 2010, and voters extended the lottery through 2035.

Notable AZ jackpot winners

When you play the big-money Arizona lottery games, you can become a multimillionaire in the blink of an eye. This may seem like a dream that will never come true, but it was a reality for these lucky winners:

  • Matthew Good won a $587.5 million Powerball jackpot in Arizona in 2012, and he is the biggest winner in Arizona history. This was the potential annuity payout, but Good chose the cash option, which delivered almost $385 million in one lump sum.
  • A Gilbert, AZ couple took down a $473.1 million Powerball prize in 2022. They chose to remain anonymous, and they also selected the cash option that placed over $283 million into their hands.
  • In 2020, a 70-year-old Glendale man and his 63-year-old spouse celebrated the third-largest lottery jackpot that has ever been won in Arizona. They hit the Mega Millions game for a whopping $319.9 million in cash (the annuity payout would have been $414 million).

How to claim winnings from the Arizona Lottery

There are a couple of different ways to claim your Arizona Lottery winnings, and they are very simple and straightforward.

Take these steps to collect your Arizona Lottery winnings by mail:

  1. If the prize is for an amount between $1 and $599, completely fill out the back of the card with your personal identifying information. Then, send the signed lottery ticket to an Arizona Lottery Office.
  2. For prizes that exceed $599, you sign the ticket, and you obtain and fill out an AZ Lottery Winner Claim Form. Include a copy of your government-issued identification card, and mail the package to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.

These are the instructions for claiming prizes in person:

  1. Simply visit any Arizona Lottery retailer to collect a winning ticket that is valued at $599 or less.
  2. For larger tickets that are worth up to $49,999, sign the back, complete the Winner Claim Form, and deliver the documents to a Phoenix, Kingman, or Tucson Arizona Lottery office. The main offices and Phoenix and Tucson are the only locations that can process winnings of $50,000 and up.

Can I claim winnings from the Arizona Lottery online?

No, you cannot claim your winnings online. You have to go to an Arizona Lottery retailer to physically claim your winnings in person.

What can you do with the Arizona Lottery mobile app?

The Arizona Lottery Players Club app gives you the ability to scan ticket entries for promotions. You can also check your tickets to see if you win, you can enter the tickets to follow the progress. There are winning number updates and other features to enhance your lottery experience.

Lottery draw games across states you can play in AZ

You have a lot of options when you play the lottery in Arizona, and they are very similar to the lottery games that you see in all states with lotteries. This is a rundown of the multi-state games you can play when you visit an Arizona Lottery retailer:

  • Powerball
  • Mega Millions

Arizona-specific draw games that you can play

In addition to the games that develop jackpots that are generated by people in multiple states, these are the Arizona-specific draw games that are available:

  • The Pick
  • Triple Twist
  • Fantasy 5
  • Pick 3

What are the instant win AZ Lottery games?

The anticipation of waiting for a public drawing is fun in a certain way, but there is something to be said for instant gratification as well. These are the games that deliver the results instantly:

  • Fast Play
  • Scratchers

Where can I buy lottery tickets in AZ?

There are thousands of retail locations in Arizona that sell lottery tickets. They can be purchased in grocery stores, convenience stores, and even some VFW halls. To obtain a list of locations near you, simply use the Arizona Lottery retail outlet locator.

Can I purchase AZ lottery tickets online?

No, you cannot purchase Arizona Lottery tickets online. You have to go to retail locations in order to do this.


FAQ

Is the Arizona Lottery state-run?

Yes, the Arizona Lottery is run by the state of Arizona.

Do I pay online gambling taxes on lottery winnings in AZ?

Yes, you are required to pay taxes on all profits that are derived from any form of gambling in Arizona.

What age do I have to be to play the Arizona Lottery?

You have to be at least 21 years of age to play the Arizona Lottery.

What is the monthly revenue from the Arizona Lottery?

Lottery ticket sales generate approximately $20 million dollars a month for the state.

How often can you play the lottery in AZ?

Lottery retail outlets are open every day, so there is never a time when you cannot play the lottery in Arizona.