You generally don’t submit scratch-off tickets to a lottery office to sell them; you submit them to claim a prize. For example, Pennsylvania says winning tickets over certain amounts can be mailed with a claim form or brought to a lottery area office, while some prizes must be claimed in person at headquarters.

How it usually works

  • Sign the back of the ticket first.
  • Check whether your prize can be claimed at a retailer, by mail, or only at a lottery office.
  • If the prize is above the retail limit, complete the required claim form.
  • Keep copies of the ticket and claim form before mailing anything.

Pennsylvania’s published claim rules say prizes up to $2,500 may be claimed at a retailer, prizes over $2,500 are paid by the lottery, and some top prizes must be claimed in person at headquarters.

If you meant selling tickets as a retailer

If you want to become a place that sells lottery scratch-offs , that is a different process from claiming a prize. It usually involves applying to the state lottery as an approved retailer, meeting licensing requirements, and following store, security, and financial rules set by that lottery.

What to do next

Tell me your state or lottery system, and I can give you the exact steps for either:

  • claiming a winning scratch-off, or
  • applying to sell lottery tickets as a retailer.