If you’ve found yourself to be a winner of a South African lottery prize, you’re probably wondering exactly how you can go about claiming that prize with as little hassle as possible. You don’t want to miss out on prize money because you used the wrong process.
We summarised all the claims options for South African players. Here you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to claim, by when you will have to claim, and everything you’ll need to present, so you can get your documents in order before claiming.
How to Claim Lottery Prizes from SA National Lottery
To claim lottery prizes from the SA National lottery, start by determining how much you have actually won. The size of your prize will determine how and where you will need to claim your full cash prize. Prizes for different tiers are set in advance, or will be published soon after the draw if it’s based on a prize pool and number of winners.
Source: Lotto Agent
In South Africa, the following usually applies:
- Prizes of ZAR2,000.00 or less can be claimed directly from any lottery ticket outlet, such as the store where you bought your ticket in the first place.
- Some of these stores will also pay up to ZAR5,000.00 in cash prizes, but this is done at their own discretion if and when they are able to do so.
- For prizes of ZAR50,000.00 or more, you will need to collect your winnings from a National Lottery regional office, all of which are spread out throughout the country.
All winnings between the amount of ZAR2,000.00 and ZAR49,999.99 will be paid into your bank account remotely, so there is no need for you to do anything more than contact the South African Lottery offices and provide them with your banking details. If your ticket has already been purchased using a particular bank account, the money will automatically be paid into that same account.
To make a claim, you will need to present them with:
- Your ID document
- Your winning ticket
- A completed form which they will provide you with
Alternatively, you can claim this prize via post. Simply post the signed and dated winning ticket together with a copy of your ID and banking details to the below address:
14A Charles Crescent
Eastgate Ext. 4
2031 Sandton
The money will be paid into your account within 72 hours of the letter being received:
If at any point your winnings cannot be paid due to a technical error, the SA Lottery office will contact you via SMS to establish communication.
Claiming Lottery Prizes After Playing in Store
| Method | When to Use this Claims Method | How to claim your winnings |
|---|---|---|
| Claim at Retailer | When you have won any cash prize of ZAR2,000 or less. | Go directly to the retailer and get your cash. |
| Claim by Post | When you’ve won any cash prize between ZAR2,000 and ZAR49,999.00 | Contact your nearest regional office via post at:14A Charles CrescentEastgate Ext. 42031 SandtonProvide them with a copy of your ID and the winning ticket (signed and dated). |
| Ithuba Offices | When you’ve won any prize that exceeds ZAR50,000 | Visit your nearest Ithuba Regional Office and present them with your winning ticket, a copy of your ID, and a form they will ask you to fill in. |
How to Claim Lottery Prizes if You Played Online
Online tickets, using the National Lottery’s system or app, will have been purchased using your bank account or your online pool of funds. This makes claiming much easier–although in most cases completely unnecessary. The winnings are typically paid directly into your account after the win, but if this doesn’t happen, you can simply put in your claim by contacting your nearest Ithuba Regional Office.
How to Claim Your Lottery Winnings When Using Your Banking App
South Africans often play local lotteries via their banking apps and there have been big jackpot winners who have played this way. It’s easy to see why it’s so popular when playing games like Powerball or even add on games like Powerball Plus, because even getting your winnings is easy.
| Bank | How to Get Your Winnings |
|---|---|
| ABSA | How to claim lotto winnings from ABSA app: An SMS will be sent to the winner within two days of the draw. Winnings of ZAR50,000.00 or less will be paid directly into the account from which the ticket was purchased. |
| Capitec | How to claim lotto winnings from Capitec app: Prizes of ZAR249,999.99 or less will be paid into the account from which the ticket was purchased. This will happen after the claim has been made via Ithuba. |
| FNB | How to claim lotto winnings from FNB app: Prizes of ZAR249,999.99 or less will be paid automatically into the account from which the ticket was bought. Anything above ZAR250,000.00 must be claimed from the Ithuba offices directly. |
| Nedbank | How to claim lotto winnings from Nedbank app: Nedbank will automatically pay out any combination of winnings that are below ZAR250,000.00. Anything above this amount will be referred to Ithuba by Nedbank to be paid to the winner. |
| Standard Bank | How to claim lotto winnings from Standard Bank app: An SMS will be sent to the winner within two working days of the win. Amounts of less than R50 000.00 will be paid into the account holder’s bank account, and anything above this amount must be claimed directly from Ithuba. |
How to Claim Lottery Prizes When Using Online Lottery Sites
Online lottery sites will already have a record of your banking details, so paying your winnings will often be automatic within 5 business days after the win has been confirmed.
Do check platforms like theLotter for their policies, so you know when a claims process is necessary. For example, sites that buy real tickets on your behalf may require you to follow a more intricate claims procedure when you win big.
Source: theLotter
Do You Get All the Money When Winning the Lottery in SA?
Yes, you do get 100% of your winnings when winning a South African lottery. There is no taxation on lottery winnings in South Africa.
Players who use online lottery sites and play international lotteries like Mega Millions must consult professionals like tax experts for clarity on what amount you’ll receive. Sites like Lotto Agent may not charge commissions on winnings, but you may be eligible for tax payments from the country of origin.
Final Thoughts
Before you’re even a winner, know how to claim your winnings. You’ll know who to contact or which documents to get ready, so you can make your claim as soon as possible.
Luckily, there are many automated processes in today’s lottery industry as well. So, whether you like playing in stores or using an online platform, you can soon start enjoying your cash!
FAQ
No commission is charged on any SA lottery winnings when using the National Lottery system. Also, many popular lottery sites also don’t have fees or commission on your winnings. Do review policies so you know what percentage of your prize money will end up in your personal account.
Standard Bank and ABSA confirm that they will send their clients an SMS notification if they have won the SA lottery and the ticket was purchased from their respective bank account. On most banking apps you can check the latest on your tickets’ winnings by accessing your account details. These platforms update information soon after draws.
The payment period of prize money often depends on how much you’ve won. Lottery winnings under a certain amount are usually paid within 2 business days of the win being confirmed. But check with your bank on the exact minimum amount that qualifies for these quick payments.
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