RALEIGH – To help protect the safety of lottery players, employees and the public during the coronavirus outbreak and per the Governor’s Executive Order 121, the N.C. Education Lottery is extending the temporary closing of its Claim Centers until further notice.

The Claim Center closures include those in Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Raleigh and Wilmington. Only essential employees will work from lottery headquarters in Raleigh. The lottery will notify players and the public of the date of reopen through media releases, social posts and announcements on the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com.

“We are continuing to follow the advice of state and federal officials,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the lottery. “Extending the temporary closing of our Claim Centers until further notice is the right thing to do — given the current circumstances — to continue to do our part in protecting our communities.”

The lottery’s recommendation to players with winning tickets of $600 or more is still to sign the back of their tickets and secure them safely. The lottery plans to extend claims deadlines for all winning tickets that could expire during this time until 30 days after the state lifts its stay-at-home order.

“These are unprecedented times for all lotteries,” said Michalko. “We want to continue to assure those with winning tickets that all prizes will be paid just at a later date when it is safe for the public.”

Here is what this means for players.

• Lottery tickets with prizes up to $599 can still be cashed at open retail locations.
• Lottery tickets with prizes of $600 or more should be signed and secured safely. Winners will have 30 days after the state lifts its stay-at-home order to claim prizes on those tickets if they expire before then.
• Lottery tickets with wins of $600 or more can be mailed in, but winners should expect delays in the processing of those claims. Claim forms can be downloaded from the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com and clicking the “Win” section or by visiting www.nclottery.com/ClaimPrizes. Winners of prizes of $100,000 or more must still claim their prizes in person and should sign and secure their winning tickets.

The lottery’s Customer Services will continue to staff the toll-free helpline to assist lottery players with questions. The toll-free Customer Services line is 1-877-962-7529. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m.

Lottery players have the option of buying tickets for Powerball, Mega Million, Lucky for Life, and Carolina Cash 5 through Online Play on the lottery’s website and with the lottery’s smartphone app, the NC Lottery Official Mobile App, available for iPhone and Android devices.

Players who win prizes with tickets through Online Play will have prizes up to $599 paid automatically to their Online Play accounts. Winners of prizes of $600 through $99,000 can claim online following the instructions they receive in the email notifying them of their win. Winners of prizes of $100,000 must claim their prizes at lottery headquarters when its Claim Center reopens.

These lottery drawings will continue as scheduled, including multi-state games such as Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life and North Carolina games such as Carolina Keno, Carolina Cash 5, Carolina Pick 3, Carolina Pick 4, and Carolina Cash 5.