Time Limit To Claim Your Scratchie Wins

Instant scratchies are lottery-type games that you play and in if you are lucky. In Australia, the official instant scratchie lottery is called instant scratch-its. All you need is to go to your nearest retail outlet and enjoy the thrill of playing for a chance to win cash prizes!

The Instant scratch its ticket cost from $1 to $20.  If you are one of the lucky winners then you should keep your winning ticket safe, sign at the back of your ticket, get your Identity proofs ready and find the way to claim your prize.

• If you have won $1,000 in Sydney then that amount can be claimed at any NSW Lotteries retail outlet that sells Instant Scratch-Its tickets by presenting your winning Instant Scratch-Its ticket.
• If you have won Prizes of up to $1500 from Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory, then it can be claimed at any Golden Casket or Tatts retail outlet in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory.
• On prizes of up to $500 from SA can be claimed at any SA Lotteries retail outlet. Prizes between $500 and $5000 can be also be claimed in-store at the retailer’s discretion. 
• The prize claim periods will vary depending on the state where you purchased your ticket.
• If you have won a higher amount than the above then you need to fill a claim prize form and head to the lottery office to claim your prize.

When you purchase your tickets using the Lott One membership, you have four (4) weeks from a draw to claim a prize at one of their retail outlets.  If you don’t have time or simply forget to check your ticket, the Lott may pay your prize by:

• transfer into your nominated Australian bank account;
• transfer into your online account; or
• cheque to your Australian postal address – note a handling fee of $3.30 applies. Individual prizes less than $6 will be combined into a single prize cheque and issued once the accumulated value reaches $6.

Time Limit To Claim Your Scratchie Wins

All things said and done remember that there is a time limit to claim your instant scratchie winnings or any lotto winnings in Australia. Here are the prize claim time limits of various states in Australia.

1. Queensland 

In accordance with the Lotteries Act 1997 Section 129 (2b), prizes outside the seven-year claim period cannot be paid. Lottery prizes must be claimed within seven years after the draw date and Instant Scratch-Its prizes must be claimed within seven years after the relevant Instant Scratch-Its game closure date.

2. New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory 

In accordance with the Public Lotteries Regulations 2016, prizes outside the six-year claim period cannot be paid. Lottery prizes must be claimed within six years after the draw date and Instant Scratch-Its prizes must be claimed within six years after the relevant Instant Scratch-Its game closure date.

3. Victoria 

Lottery prizes must be collected within six months after the draw date and Instant Scratch-Its prizes must be collected within six months after the relevant Instant Scratch-Its Game Closure date. After these dates, customers need to submit a prize claim form to the State Government to claim the prize at Victorian State Revenue Office – Unclaimed Monies GPO Box 1641 
Melbourne VIC 3001

4. Tasmania 

Lottery prizes must be collected within six months after the draw date. After this time, customers need to submit a prize claim form to the State Government to claim the prize at Tasmania – Treasury & Finance  GPO Box 147 HOBART TAS 7001 Phone 03 6166 4444

Prizes from Instant Scratch-Its purchased in Tasmania must be claimed from Golden Casket within seven years after the relevant Instant Scratchies game closure date.

5. Northern Territory 

Prize payments associated with lotteries drawn prior to, and including 30/07/2012 were purged to the Northern Territory Treasury Director of Licensing as unclaimed money. Customers need to submit a prize claim form to the State Government to claim the prize. at NT Treasury – Director of Licensing  Unclaimed Monies GPO Box 1154 DARWIN NT 0801 Phone 08 8999 1800

Claiming prizes won after 30/07/2012 must be claimed within three years from the date of the draw. After three years the prize is no longer available.

Prizes from Instant Scratch-Its purchased in the Northern Territory must be claimed from Golden Casket within seven years after the relevant Instant Scratch-Its game closure date.

6. South Australia 

Lottery prizes must be collected within 12 months after the draw date. After this time, prize money is forfeited to the Lotteries Commission of South Australia. There is a process to claim prize money from The Commission’s Unclaimed Prizes Reserve. Administration costs are associated with the processing of these claims.

Claim your winnings at Head Office the Lott

If you’ve had a win greater than in-store prize claim limits, or have won a top prize, you can claim your prize in person at the Head Office applicable to where your ticket was purchased:

• Queensland visit Golden Casket: Shop 1, 180 Ann Street, Brisbane CBD
• New South Wales visit NSW Lotteries: 1 Figtree Drive, Sydney Olympic Park
• Victoria visit Tatts: 5 Bowen Crescent, Melbourne
• South Australia visit SA Lotteries: 188 Richmond Road, Marleston

Note that the business hours for all Head Offices are 8:30am – 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. 

To collect your prize in person at one of their Head Offices, you will need:

• The original lotto or Instant Scratch-Its ticket; and
• Signature identification such as a Drivers Licence or Passport; and
• For registered tickets, the Winners Circle, Players Club, Tatts Card or Easiplay Club Card to which the ticket is registered
• Your bank account details (should you wish to have your prize paid by EFT)

Prizes claimed at their Head Offices will be paid either by cheque or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

Remember you can also claim your winnings by post.

To claim your prizes by Post you need to Download and complete the Prize Claim Form that corresponds to where you bought your ticket(s). You can also pick up a copy of the form at your nearest retail outlet, or download from the below links:

• Golden Casket Prize Claim Form for lottery and Instant Scratch-Its tickets purchased in Queensland, and Instant Scratch-Its purchased in Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
• NSW Lotteries Prize Claim Form for lottery and Instant Scratch-Its tickets purchased in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
• Tatts Prize Claim Form for lottery and Instant Scratch-Its tickets purchased in Victoria, and lottery tickets purchased in Tasmania.
• Tatts NT Prize Claim Form for lottery tickets purchased in the Northern Territory.
• SA Lotteries Prize Claim Form for lottery and Instant Scratch-Its tickets purchased in South Australia.  If the prize has not been paid in 12 months from the last draw on the ticket, you will also need to submit the completed Ex Gratia Statutory Declaration Form

Now fill the claim form and put it in an envelope together with the ORIGINAL winning lottery ticket(s) and/or Instant Scratch-Its ticket(s), remember to keep copies of each for your own records. If you are claiming an Instant Scratch-Its prize you should also complete your name, address and signature on the back of any winning ticket(s).

Next affix a postage stamp and post to the address shown within your completed Prize Claim Form.

Your prize payment should be processed and paid within 10 working days of receipt of your claim form, or after necessary waiting periods as listed.

When completing the Prize Claim Form you will need to enter the Instant Scratch-Its Game Code and Ticket Validation Number. The Game Code can be found just under the value of the ticket and the Ticket Validation Barcode number can be found at the top of the ticket directly underneath the barcode. Good luck!