Powerball — Mega Millions —

Can lottery winners stay anonymous? All states (2026)

By · Updated 2026-11-05 · 8 min read

Short answer (as of November 5, 2026): it depends on the state that sold the ticket.
  • 13 states let any winner keep their name private.
  • 8 states allow it only above a prize amount, from $10,000 in Minnesota to $1 million in Texas and West Virginia. In Florida it lasts only 90 days.
  • 15 states and Washington, DC treat your name as public, or must release it when someone asks.
  • 9 states (plus Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands) have rules we could not confirm from the lottery or state itself. Check with that lottery before you claim.
  • 5 states (Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah) have no lottery.

When you win a big prize, the lottery that sold the ticket decides what it can say about you. That is set by state law, and the rules have changed fast: Virginia, Connecticut, Maine and Oregon all widened winner privacy in 2025 or 2026. This guide lists every state, what stays private, what is still public, and the source we checked for each one.

Two points before the table. First, the rule that counts is the one in the state where the ticket was bought, not where you live, because you claim from that state's lottery (see how to claim a lottery prize). Second, "anonymous" never means anonymous to the lottery or the IRS. The lottery still checks your ID, issues a Form W-2G in your name and withholds tax. Privacy only limits what the public can learn.

Every state at a glance

Sorted by state name. "Check with the lottery" means we did not find a clear, current statement from the state lottery, legislature or another state agency, so we do not give an answer. A linked state name opens our tax page for that state.

StateCan you stay anonymous?Prize thresholdWhat's publicSource
AlabamaNo state lottery———
AlaskaNo state lottery———
ArizonaYes, above a prize amount$100,000 or moreCity and county. Under $100,000, name private for 90 daysazleg.gov
ArkansasCheck with the Arkansas Scholarship LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmedarkleg.state.ar.us
CaliforniaNo—Full name, retailer, date won and prize amountcalottery.com
ColoradoNo—First name, last initial, hometown, game and amountcoloradolottery.com
ConnecticutYes, any prizeAny prizeLottery will not publish your name; a FOIA request can still reach itcga.ct.gov
DelawareYes, any prizeAny prizeName only with your consentdelottery.com
District of ColumbiaNo—Name, city, state, prize amount and photodclottery.com
FloridaYes, but only for 90 days$250,000 or moreName after 90 days; street address and phone stay privatefloridalottery.com
GeorgiaYes, above a prize amount$250,000 or moreAnonymity is a Yes/No box on the claim formgalottery.com
HawaiiNo state lottery———
IdahoCheck with the Idaho LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmedidaholottery.com
IllinoisYes, above a prize amount$250,000 or moreName and town unless you ask; a FOIA request can still reach themillinoislottery.com
IndianaNo—Name, address and cityhoosierlottery.com
IowaNo—Name, hometown and prize amountialottery.com
KansasYes, any prizeAny prizeIdentity only with written authorizationkslegislature.gov
KentuckyCheck with the Kentucky LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmedkylottery.com
LouisianaNo—Name and city of residencelouisianalottery.com
MaineYes, above a prize amount$100,000 or moreBelow $100,000, identity can be publiclegislature.maine.gov
MarylandYes, any prizeAny prizeName and photo only with written consentmdlottery.com
MassachusettsCheck with the Massachusetts LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmedmasslottery.com
MichiganNo, for Powerball and Mega Millions—Names of multistate game winners; state-only games over $10,000 stay privatemichiganlottery.com
MinnesotaYes, above a prize amountCash prize over $10,000Street address and phone always privaterevisor.mn.gov
MississippiYes, any prizeAny prizeIdentity only with written permissionmslottery.com
MissouriYes, any prizeAny prizeLottery may not publish your name or addressrevisor.mo.gov
MontanaYes, any prizeAny prizeAmount, retailer, community, game and datemontanalottery.com
NebraskaCheck with the Nebraska LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmednelottery.com
NevadaNo state lottery———
New HampshireCheck with the New Hampshire LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmednhlottery.com
New JerseyYes, any prizeAny prizeIdentity stays private unless you waive itnjlottery.com
New MexicoCheck with the New Mexico LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmednmlottery.com
New YorkNo—Name and town or citygaming.ny.gov
North CarolinaNo—Name, city or county and prize amountnclottery.com
North DakotaYes, any prizeAny prizeCity only, if you choose anonymitylottery.nd.gov
OhioCheck with the Ohio LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmedcodes.ohio.gov
OklahomaCheck with the Oklahoma LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmedcontent.lottery.ok.gov
OregonYes, any prizeAny prizeCity, state, ZIP code, game, amount and retaileroregonlottery.org
PennsylvaniaNo—Name, city and prize amountpalottery.state.pa.us
Puerto RicoCheck with the Puerto Rico LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmedhacienda.pr.gov
Rhode IslandNo (you can ask for privacy)—Full name and city or town, on requestrilot.com
South CarolinaYes, any prizeAny prizeTown, claim date, game, amount and retailer locationscstatehouse.gov
South DakotaNo (you can decline publicity)—Name, city, state, game and amount, on requestlottery.sd.gov
TennesseeNo—Name, home state and hometown, on requesttnlottery.com
TexasYes, above a prize amount$1 million or moreCity or county of residence. Annuity claims work differentlytexaslottery.com
U.S. Virgin IslandsCheck with the Virgin Islands LotteryNot confirmedNot confirmedlegvi.org
UtahNo state lottery———
VermontNo—Name, town and prize amountvtlottery.com
VirginiaYes, any prizeAny prizeName, hometown and amount only with written consentlaw.lis.virginia.gov
WashingtonNo—Name, city and prize amount; trust papers can be releasedwalottery.com
West VirginiaYes, above a prize amount$1 million or more (draw games)Scratch-off and smaller winners are publishedwvlottery.com
WisconsinNo—Name and city, on request. Trusts and LLCs cannot claimwilottery.com
WyomingYes, any prizeAny prizeListed as "Anonymous Winner" with the retailer citywyolotto.com

Checked on November 5, 2026. Laws and lottery rules change; confirm with the lottery before you sign the ticket or file a claim. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

States that allow anonymity

In these 13 states, a winner of any prize can keep their name out of the news: Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia and Wyoming. The details differ more than the headline suggests.

Virginia is the newest change. Since July 1, 2026, Va. Code § 58.1-4029 says the state lottery may not disclose a winner's identity unless the winner consents in writing. Before that, only prizes over $10 million qualified. Some older pages on the Virginia Lottery site still carry a public-records notice; the statute is what applies now.

Maryland's rule covers draw games, FAST PLAY and scratch-offs, but not second-chance contests. New Jersey's does not cover second-chance contests either.

Anonymity above a prize amount

Eight states protect only larger winners. If your prize is below the line, expect your name to be published.

Michigan sits between the groups. Its law keeps winners of more than $10,000 in Michigan-only games anonymous, but for Powerball, Mega Millions and Millionaire for Life the lottery follows the multistate game rules, which allow winners' names to be public. We count Michigan as "no" for the big jackpots.

Claiming through a trust or LLC

In some states, a prize can be claimed by a trust, LLC or other legal entity instead of a person. The idea is that the entity's name appears in the public record rather than yours. This is a legal structure, not a form you fill in, and whether it protects you depends entirely on state law.

Setting up a trust takes time and has to be done right, ideally before you sign the back of the ticket. Talk to a lawyer licensed in the state that sold the ticket before you claim. We do not give legal advice, and this section is only a general description.

States where your name is public

In these 15 states and DC, a winner's name is public record or must be released on request: California, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan (for multistate games), New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

What gets released varies. California lists full name, the retailer, the date won and the amount. Colorado releases first name, last initial, hometown, game and amount. New York treats name and town or city as public; street address and phone are not released. North Carolina makes an exception for winners with a valid protective order or an Address Confidentiality Program card.

Two states sound friendlier than they are. South Dakota lets you opt out of publicity, but on an open-records request it must release your name, city, state, game and amount. Rhode Island tries to keep information private if you ask, but must release your full name and city or town on request. We count both as "no".

Recent law changes (2025–2026)

These bills were proposed but are not law as of November 5, 2026, so they change nothing for a winner today:

Before you claim

  1. Sign the ticket only after you know whether a trust or other entity might claim it in that state.
  2. Read the claim form for an anonymity box. Several states (Georgia, Illinois, Texas, West Virginia) require you to choose at or before the claim. You often cannot ask later.
  3. Assume your town, prize amount and retailer may still be published, even in a privacy state.
  4. Plan for the tax either way: use the lottery tax calculator and read what to do if you win the lottery.

Common questions

Which state's rule applies if I bought the ticket while traveling?

The rule of the state that sold the ticket, because you claim the prize from that state's lottery. Your home state's privacy law does not apply to that claim.

Does staying anonymous change my taxes?

No. The lottery still knows who you are, withholds federal tax and sends a Form W-2G to you and the IRS. Privacy only limits what the public and the media can learn.

If my state allows anonymity, will anything about my win be public?

Often, yes. Many privacy states still release the city or town, the prize amount, the game and the retailer. Oregon, Arizona, Texas, Montana and South Carolina all say so.

Can a lottery pool stay anonymous?

It depends on the state and on each member's share. In West Virginia, for example, every pool member must win $1 million or more to qualify. Ask the lottery before the group claims.

My state says "check with the lottery". What should I do?

Call or email that state lottery before you claim and ask what it releases about winners, whether a trust can claim, and whether a records request can reach your name. Get the answer in writing if you can, and talk to a lawyer.

Sources

State lottery sites, state legislatures and state agencies only, accessed November 5, 2026.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Found a change? Tell us and we will log it on the corrections page.

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