When Do Lottery Tickets Expire?

It happens all too often. A lottery player purchases tickets for a drawing and somehow forgets to check them after the lottery announces a winner. A player will think, “Didn’t I get a ticket for that drawing?” and scurry about looking for a ticket they purchased weeks or months before.Typically, lottery tickets expire between 90 days to 1 year from the date of the drawing, depending on where the ticket was sold. The date of expiration is usually listed on the back of the ticket. However, if the expiration date isn’t listed, you can check with your local lottery. The rest of this article will begin with examples of expiration periods for lottery tickets, followed by some general information about the two main lotteries in the United States: Mega Millions and Powerball.Table of ContentsSample Expiration Periods for Lottery TicketsLottery tickets typically expire between 90 days and one year from the date of the drawing or the ending of a game.Mega Millions and Powerball ticket expiration...